Dear Sen. McConnell, your article Monday in The Enquirer (“Vote set to ban abortion after 20 weeks”) is, at best, an extremely feeble effort to deflect your refusal to even vote on defunding the butchers at Planned Parenthood of the $500 million in federal funds they now receive. That plan would win the support of Democrats.
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“It’s legislation that would allow America to join the ranks of most civilized nations when it comes to protecting the most innocent and vulnerable of life”, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said during remarks on the Senate floor, according to the Hill. (Pa.) and Joe Donnelly (Ind.) – voted to advance the bill.
Stefanik is one of the co-signers of a letter to the entire House Republican conference.
The Senate vote on Planned Parenthood would be “another re-run vote” that has failed before, said Reid of Nevada.
“There’s no time for another unnecessary shutdown crisis”.
Amid the furor over an anti-abortion group’s undercover videos purporting that Planned Parenthood illegally sells fetal tissue, Congressional conservatives are pressing Republican leaders to kill any spending measure that includes money for the nonprofit.
On Wednesday, No. 2 House Democrat Steny Hoyer of Maryland said a noncontroversial stopgap measure would likely enjoy the support of Democrats.
At the beginning of August, the Senate considered a bill that would cut off all federal funding from this organization and redirect it to fund women’s health services at Community Health Centers.
In Louisiana: Once Jindal announced the investigation into Planned Parenthood in Baton Rouge, it didn’t take him long (two days) to take the message of the probe to Iowa as part of his campaign for the GOP presidential nomination.
McConnell’s spending measure would give the Obama administration much of what it asked for, while while saying no to a request to revive the Export-Import Bank.
“President Obama will be remembered as the abortion president, and nothing will mark his administration with more shame and dishonor than his lack of compassion and protection toward millions of innocent and voiceless little babies”, said Rep. Trent Franks, R.-Ariz., in written comments.
Kelly Ayotte (NH) skewered her fellow Republicans for risking a shutdown just to make a point about Planned Parenthood.
The federal government will shut down October 1 if Congress does not come to some agreement. “But that’s not what Americans want“. This is becoming a too familiar operating procedure for Republicans in Congress. Instead of negotiating and compromising, they prefer shutting down the government to flex their muscle.
Not all Republicans agree with that approach.
When told of the letter, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said it “sounds like good news”.
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The federal government is now running up against a deadline to reauthorize appropriations for the multitude of discretionary spending programs, and pro-life conservatives are looking to the ultimatum as a way to force a vote defunding the clinics.
