NASHVILLE (BP) — Pro-life groups have longed for the day that no taxpayer dollars are sent to Planned Parenthood (PP). Many say that moment is closer now than ever.

“This moment feels like the perfect time to get it done all the way and across the finish line,” said Tim Mackall, policy associate for the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC).

Organized efforts to defund Planned Parenthood began not long after the Roe v. Wade decision with the 1976 passage of the Hyde Amendment. That measure, which must be renewed annually as part of the budget appropriations process, greatly limits the use of Medicaid funds for abortion. More recently, the ERLC supported efforts in 2011 and 2015 to defund. The latter came after undercover videos emerged purporting to show Planned Parenthood representatives discussing the potential sale of baby parts. The two investigators for the Center for Medical Progress were eventually dismissed from criminal charges related to gaining access at a PP facility to make the videos.

Another attempt in the summer of 2017 failed that would have replaced the Affordable Care Act with a new plan that would have eliminated funding for Planned Parenthood.

On Feb. 12, the ERLC launched a petition once again asking Congress to defund Planned Parenthood. ERLC President Brent Leatherwood and other Southern Baptist leaders were the first names to appear.

“Southern Baptists affirm the sanctity of every human life and believe that Scripture testifies that all people are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27),” Leatherwood said in comments to Baptist Press. “It is from this belief grounded in the imago Dei that the ERLC has led a campaign calling on Congress to defund Planned Parenthood through the budget reconciliation process.

“We are thrilled to report that this effort in just a few days has garnered over 10,000 signatures including SBC entity heads, past SBC presidents, pastors, laypeople and congressional leaders.”

The budget reconciliation process could last into the summer as subcommittees and committees debate before the results are presented to each chamber. President Trump is in support of the Hyde Amendment and the Mexico City policy, which prevents federal dollars from going toward abortion outside the country.

“The petition is a great advocacy tool for the ERLC because it demonstrates to member offices that everyday Southern Baptists are actively engaged in this fight,” said Mackall. “We bring it up in every meeting we attend as a way to demonstrate the urgency and demand for finally defunding Planned Parenthood.”

Each signature can literally save lives, Leatherwood noted.

“Planned Parenthood’s predatory, deceptive and destructive practices are taking preborn lives at the expense of the American taxpayer,” he said. “As followers of Christ, we must advocate for protecting vulnerable children and oppose organizations and practices that undermine the value of life. We invite others to join this effort by adding their names to our petition and show Congress that now is the time for action.”

Last November’s election pairs with a cultural shift when it comes to abortion, said Mackall.

“The election was crucial for this moment. We’ve been working with a divided Congress for several years now, which has created a stalemate on a wide range of issues,” he said.

“The Republican trifecta is an opportunity to end that stalemate and advance several of the priorities that matter to Southern Baptists, perhaps most importantly defunding Planned Parenthood.”

(EDITOR’S NOTE — Scott Barkley is chief national correspondent for Baptist Press.)