Recently, as I was preparing for a media interview on a leftward-leaning outlet, the camera technician, not wanting his pro-life views revealed, leaned over and whispered, “Can you believe that Planned Parenthood sells baby parts? It’s just heartbreaking.”

That is how many Americans, left and right, felt last summer when video after video released from the Center for Medical Progress revealed the tragic way in which children are treated and exploited. It was hard to comprehend that behind the closed doors of the abortion industry, in addition to the barbarism of abortion, the little hearts, lungs, liver and brains of these babies were being procured and sold for profit.

In the weeks after the bombshell undercover videos were released, Americans who hadn’t previously grappled through the life issues — including many who identified as pro-choice — began to reconsider such a stance. I stood next to one such young woman as we rallied for life together outside of our local Planned Parenthood in August. She had never been to a pro-life activity, and until she watched the videos had considered herself pro-choice.

One of the many ethical and legal questions that arose from the content of the tapes is the extent to which Planned Parenthood profited from the harvesting and sale of baby hearts, lungs, livers, brains etc. It’s an important question because according to statute Title 42 USC289 g-2, profiting from the sale of fetal remains is unlawful. Week before last, Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn led a hearing in the Congressional Select Committee on Infant Lives uncovering new revelations about the fetal parts trafficking.

Evidence revealed in the hearing demonstrated that Planned Parenthood profited from these exchanges, despite their claims otherwise. Companies involved in fetal tissue procurement (such as Stem-Cell Express which the minority committee members named during the hearing) would hire and pay a full-time employee “procurement specialist” who did all the work at the abortion clinic. There was no cost to clinics like Planned Parenthood, but there was a profit. The clinics would receive a fee for each baby part procured, ranging broadly from $10 for blood to $715 for brains. Documents from the hearing also showed that “more is better”; the price per item increased as the quantity of parts procured increased.

Included in the hearing exhibits was a screenshot of the private procurement company advertising the arrangements would be “financially profitable,” “financially beneficial” and “easy to implement plug-in solution.” Despite the fact that Planned Parenthood has repeatedly stated since the videos were released their clinics did not financially benefit from the harvesting and sale of baby parts, the abortion industry has likely received millions of dollars in gross profit over the past five years from private procurement companies.

The hearing also made clear that the Center for Medical Progress videos are only the tip of the iceberg. Exhibits from the hearing also revealed that by 2015, the private company procuring and selling baby parts was working with nearly 100 abortion clinics. Considering the approximately 725 abortion clinics nationwide, that means that almost 1 in every 7 was selling baby body parts to this company. Documents during the hearing also showed that this same company was poised to gain access to over half of the abortion market just before the videos came out. Similar to the first point, this is despite the fact that Planned Parenthood has also repeatedly claimed that this activity is not widespread.

One of the most disturbing parts of last week’s hearing involved an exchange where Congressman Pitts explained how shockingly easy it is for people to “shop” for baby parts using a drop-down menu with all of the dozens of different baby parts listed.  Representative Pitts called it the “amazon.com for baby parts.”

While the exploitative nature of this business should shock anyone — pro-life or pro-choice — sadly, abortion proponents are not responding to the facts but are rather repeating erroneous, tired talking points trying to undermine the validity of the Center for Medical Progress videos. It’s worth noting that Coalfire Systems, a highly accredited forensic analysis and cybersecurity company, conducted an extensive forensic analysis of the videos and concluded that they were not at all manipulated.

The Select Committee should be commended for such an informative hearing. Americans are waking up to the grim reality and exploitative nature of our nation’s largest abortion provider and the unlawful industry it supports.