U.S. Senate Reverses Measure That Banned States from Defunding Planned Parenthood

Veronica Neffinger | iBelieve Contributor | Updated: Mar 31, 2017

U.S. Senate Reverses Measure That Banned States from Defunding Planned Parenthood

On Thursday afternoon (March 30) the U.S. Senate passed a measure reversing the Obama administration’s law which banned states from defunding Planned Parenthood.

The Weekly Standard reports that Vice President Mike Pence cast the deciding vote in the legislators’ effort to do away with the rule instituted by the Department of Health and Human Services under then-President Obama.

In order to pass the bill, Republicans had to make use of the Congressional Review Act which allows a measure to pass with a simply majority vote instead of the usual 60 votes. Lawmakers were tied 50-50, so Pence needed to cast the tiebreaking vote.

No Democrats voted for the measure and Republican Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (AK) both also voted against it.

Efforts to defund Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider, have been gaining traction since undercover videos were released nearly two years ago allegedly showing the organization negotiating the illegal sale of fetal body parts.

These videos were the catalyst that sparked nationwide outrage against Planned Parenthood which has been on the defensive ever since.

Republican lawmakers say they hope to pass Planned Parenthood defunding legislation as part of a budget reconciliation bill very soon.

"We think reconciliation is the tool because that gets it into law. Reconciliation is the way to go,” stated House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI).

 

Photo courtesy: Wikipedia

Publication date: March 31, 2017



U.S. Senate Reverses Measure That Banned States from Defunding Planned Parenthood