The Justice Department is reportedly investigating the sale of fetal tissue involving Planned Parenthood and several biomedical research companies.
In a letter obtained by Fox News, Assistant Attorney General for Legislative Affairs Stephen Boyd formally requested unredacted documents from the Senate Judiciary Committee, which compiled a December 2016 report in which GOP chairman Charles Grassley of Iowa asked for a probe.
"The Department of Justice appreciates the offer of assistance in obtaining these materials, and would like to request the Committee provide unredacted copies of records contained in the report, in order to further the Department's ability to conduct a thorough and comprehensive assessment of that report based on the full range of information available," Boyd wrote in a letter Thursday, Fox News reported.
"At this point, the records are intended for investigative use only — we understand that a resolution from the Senate may be required if the Department were to use any of the unredacted materials in a formal legal proceeding, such as a grand jury," he added.
At the release of the congressional report, Grassley said the committee discovered enough evidence that shows how abortion providers had transferred fetal tissue and body parts from aborted fetuses for research by charging amounts higher than they actually cost.
Planned Parenthood has rejected it violated any law or acted unethically.
The anti-abortion Susan B. Anthony List's president, Marjorie Dannenfelser, called the DOJ probe a "major turning point in the battle to hold the nation's largest abortion business accountable," Politico reported.
"Evidence shows Planned Parenthood sought to squeeze every last opportunity for cash from the sale of hearts, brains, lungs and livers of aborted children," she said. "This abortion chain has for too long enjoyed government favor under the Obama Administration. That ends now."