Posted on 08/30/2015 6:01:05 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
With each new release of undercover videos from Center for Medical Progress, political pressure has ramped up on Republican leadership in Congress to cut off federal funding for Planned Parenthood. Members of the House GOP caucus now say that a bill to at least stop funds for a year will be introduced after the recess, and leadership has committed to getting a floor vote on it:
House Republican leaders are planning a vote to freeze funding for Planned Parenthood this fall, according to GOP aides, a move that could help mitigate an inter-party battle and avoid a government shutdown.
“We’re encouraged to know there will be a vote this fall, whether it’s our bill or something that is similar,” a spokesman for Rep. Diane Black (R-Tenn.) said Friday.
A bill to defund Planned Parenthood is expected to come up for a vote shortly after lawmakers return from recess, aides said. It would likely take the form of legislation from Black which would block federal funding to Planned Parenthood for one year, although leaders are still weighing their options.
The Hill’s Sarah Ferris calls this “a change of tune” for John Boehner, who wanted to wait for a Congressional investigation to finish before pushing a bill on defunding. Boehner feels that some Democrats may come with the GOP to cut off Planned Parenthood’s funding if the process played out to its conclusion. That’s certainly debatable — Democrats want to use this issue to revive the War on Women meme — but it may be why Black’s bill suspends funding for one year. That could be a compromise that will allow Congressional committees to continue their investigations. Don’t expect too many Democrats to buy that either, but it answers the demand coming from the rank and file to do something about Planned Parenthood.
Don’t expect a shutdown fight over it, though. Even Black doesn’t support that kind of a strategy, claiming that would invert the budget process:
“I’m not in the shut down government camp. That is not the way to get to the bottom of this issue, by shutting down the government,” the three-term lawmaker said. “It puts the president in charge instead of the legislature.”
A shutdown also wouldn’t cut off most of the federal funds that Planned Parenthood receives. It gets most of that cash through Medicaid reimbursements, which continue to operate as statutory entitlements even when shutdowns occur. (The same is true for Social Security and Medicare; expenditures for these entitlement programs are authorized by statute and not budget appropriations.) The rest of the funding comes from Title X family-planning programs for low-income women, which is appropriated and can be spent under conditions set by Congress in each budget year. Congress can do more through legislation to curtail all of it, or force Obama to veto it and explain why the federal government is funding a private enterprise that conducts organ harvesting for income.
Ferris says that the strategy on this effort won’t be fully set until after the recess. Let’s keep the pressure on.
These lilly livered, morally destitute, WEAKLINGS make me sick. And they wonder why their base has abandoned them and TRUMP is doing so well! May Almighty God hold each of THEM PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE AND GUILTY of the blood of the untold multitude of innocents who are going to die at the merciless hands of the murderers at PP all because they refuse to act IMMEDIATELY to put an end to funding this evil, unholy, wickedly barbaric baby killing-processing plant!
Planned Boner hoodwinks. Look for the pork servings in whatever bill they scheme up.
Ya know, Ole low life Democrat vermin like Senate & House leaders, Harry Reid & Nancy Pelosi used every trick in the book to get their way in congress. McConnell & Boehner do nothing, but, let the Obamabots run over them every time!!! For goodness sake, the GOP has 54 Senators & 244 House members...massive majorities...and they do nothing!!! What to do...on each vote, change the voting rules that a 51 vote majority carries the bill!!! McConnell & Boehner have done nothing!!!
The Hotair link is apropos.
Maybe they will. The pressure on the old orange alcoholic is intense.
I really enjoyed the initial number of comments. You guys wrote so I don’t have to.
But I’ll add, these are the same reps who keep wondering why Trump is so popular. I guess they don’t realize how lame they sound to those of us who keep watching them fail in their jobs.
Defund FOR ONE YEAR??? That sounds like the same old GOPe election strategy that this loathesome bunch pulls every two years. They think funding the killing of preborn babies and selling their organs is okay after a one year ban that gets them through next year’s election. Disgraceful.
With that fetal surrender posture and lame-stream media propaganda excuse, this bimbo should be Speaker Bonehead's and Majority Leader McTurtle's right-hand dipstick.
Promises made to get votes and then broken are a track record we can count on.
Bartender Boner can create and serve up a special drink based on the Obama-Boehner liason. Call it the ‘ZerOrange’
Sure, sure sure! Right after they remove Boner from the Speakership!
The only leverage we, the people, have is in the budget authorization process. They have already conceded defeat on this leverage.
Nice riposte! Can’t top that one!
They didn't say they'd defund it. They said they'd "vote to defund it". Does that mean AGAIN they'll sit in some back room and figure out who can vote it down and still get re-elected.
I'm so disgusted with the "conservative" HOR that was sent to DC. Their first action was to re-elect Boehner as Speaker.
Trust us. Mañana. Honest!
Lucy + football = Boehner
House leadership,”Wanna buy a bridge?”
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