Posted on 07/28/2015 7:56:30 PM PDT by VinL
After a group of GOP senators huddled Tuesday afternoon to discuss the recently released undercover "sting" videos of Planned Parenthood, Republicans unveiled legislation to strip the family planning provider of its federal funding.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) fast-tracked the legislation Tuesday night using Rule 14 of Senate procedure, setting up a procedural cloture vote to move the bill to the floor as early as Monday. That all but assures the bill will get a final vote before Senators depart for August recess.
McConnell huddled with Sens. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and a handful of other Republicans Tuesday afternoon to work through details of the bill.
"On the issue of these horrendous videos that we’ve seen with the discussions from Planned Parenthood people, we have a working group ... and it is our plan to have a vote on preceding to a measure that they support sometime before we break for the August recess," McConnell said earlier Tuesday before fast-tracking the bill.
After the meeting, Ernst introduced the legislation, which will defund Planned Parenthood and redirect its federal funds to other women's health organizations.
The push to defund the organization comes after "sting" videos emerged two weeks ago purporting to show Planned Parenthood doctors talking about the illegal sale of fetal body parts after abortions. Planned Parenthood defends its work, saying the videos in fact show doctors discussing reimbursement for the costs incurred for donating fetal tissue for medical research -- a practice that is legal.
Republicans claim the videos are evidence the family planning provider sells the fetal tissue for profit. Some 25 Republican senators signed on to the bill, including Ted Cruz (Texas), John McCain (Ariz.),
(Excerpt) Read more at huffingtonpost.com ...
Yes! About time.
This bill will probably be filibustered no matter where the PP money goes. When they get back from break after furthur video episodes they just might go for no federal abortion funding for anyone.
This will go nowhere now. Let a few more videos come out while congress is in recess and the folks back home can apply a little pressure. Lila Rose has picked her timing well.
Why Congress Won’t Defund Planned Parenthood
The one fact that Boehner is “overlooking” is the following. Regardless that House RINOs have read the Constitution out loud at the starts of the last three legislative sessions, Boehner has evidently forgotten that the states have never delegated to Congress, expressly via the Constitution, the specific power to tax and spend for anything like Planned Parenthood.
In fact, a previous generation of state sovereignty-respecting justices had clarified in broad terms that Congress is prohibited from laying taxes in the name of state power issues, essentially any issue which Congress cannot justify under its constitutional Article I, Section 8-limited powers.
“Congress is not empowered to tax for those purposes which are within the exclusive province of the States.” —Justice John Marshall, Gibbons v. Ogden, 1824.
Cruz attempted to attach an amendment to defund Planned Parenthood to the Highway Bill on SundayPlanned Parenthood aside, I am totally against the act(s) of attaching amendments to bills just because they know the bill will be passed. In this case defunding PP attached to a highway funding bill. ReallY? What does abortions have to do with highways? They said it wasn't germane, and it's true.
We have been screwed WAY too many times by these assholes using this underhanded tactic. Rarely if ever has it been used to OUR advantage.
After the meeting, Ernst introduced the legislation, which will defund Planned Parenthood and redirect its federal funds to other women’s health organizations.
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Another shell game, much like dealings with ACORN.
I do agree with you. And if he were an actually Leader he’d, well ... lead.
I discovered early on in my Prosecuting career that you have to be cold and calculating, regardless if the underlying case is highly emotional. If you don’t, you don’t win.
I don’t care what dribbles out it is going to be handled the same as the ACA with repeal after repeal after repeal and the public will lump it in as so. There will be two sides and no one will be moved. Once again ... hung jury, as it were.
It is just so damn frustrating to watch all these GOPers flounder around out there. Oh sometimes it looks like they are being “bold” when in fact they are just hitting it with a hammer.
But, again, you are spot on here.
The Dims and the Rinos don't hesitate to attach "non-germane" amendments to a larger bill. McConnell sure attached an amendment to reinstate the Export/Import Bank to the Highway Bill. When someone mentions highways, isn't the next thing we think of always the Export/Import bank.
Play by rules your opponent doesn't follow and what will happen, time-after-time? And this separate bill to defund Planned Parenthood is another charade by McConnell and Associates to fool the general public because it has little chance of passing.
This is just another ruse by McConnell to pretend that he wants to defund PP. The only reasonable chance to do that was to attach it to the Highway Bill as an amendment as Cruz and others wanted. This has been in the works since at least July 24.
McConnell to fast-track bill to defund Planned Parenthood
Cruz didn't win this one since McConnell blocked Cruz's amendment and is 'fast tracking' this separate bill that has little chance of passage.
I did not know that. Thanks.
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