Shutdown Showdown Over Planned Parenthood Possible, Members of Congress Say
Many
have been warning that they will hold up measures to fund the
government past October if the legislation contains any taxpayer dollars
for Planned Parenthood, which became the center of debate again after
videos surfaced allegedly showing employees of the group discussing
prices for fetal tissue and body parts.
“We
can not and will not support any funding resolution ... that contains
any funding for Planned Parenthood, including mandatory funding
streams,” wrote 18 Republican House members to House leadership
Wednesday.
This would present a major hurdle for Senate Majority Leader
Mitch McConnell, who has repeatedly pledged that the government would not shut down under GOP congressional stewardship.
“We're certainly not going to shut down the government or default on the
national debt," he said during a March television interview.
More
moderate Republicans and some centrist Democrats are already working on
ways to avoid ending taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood outright,
but focus instead on removing just funding that goes to clinics that
engage in fetal-tissue procurement. Moderate Maine Republican Susan
Collins is working on legislation that would maintain Title X and
Medicaid funding for all Planned Parenthood clinics that do not engage
in fetal tissue sales.
National Journal
noted that Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia is working with
her, but that Senate Republican leadership has not yet approved the
legislation.
"We need more facts and a more targeted approach," Collins said in a statement.
Whether
a compromise is reached or not, the issue is already becoming a fight
for which Democrats, who largely support federal funding to Planned
Parenthood, are steeling themselves.
“This is just presidential Republican primary politics finding their way onto the Senate floor,”
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Connecticut, said today.
