Politics
GOP Doubles Down On Defunding Planned Parenthood In Revised Health Care Bill
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The revised Senate GOP health care bill released Thursday maintains the one year prohibition against federal funding for Planned Parenthood that was included in the original version of the bill.
The provision prohibits federal funding of any organizations that provide abortions, except in instances of incest or rape or those in which the mother’s life is threatened.
Planned Parenthood defunding language in the Senate's AHCA draft pic.twitter.com/9RRLgyAzYI
— Lachlan Markay (@lachlan) June 22, 2017
The legislation keeps Obamacare subsidies until 2020 rather than adopting the tax credits implemented in the House passed health care bill, since limiting those tax credits to exclude abortion providers may have violated Senate budget rules.
While the one year defunding of Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers helped ensure support from the GOP’s conservative wing, it may imperil the bill’s prospects for success, as two centrist GOP senators cited Planned Parenthood defunding as a primary obstacle to their support.
Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska both voiced opposition to Planned Parenthood defunding after the release of the initial Senate health care bill. Murkowski has refrained from publicly expressing her opinion on the revised draft, while Collins has stated her opposition.
Planned Parenthood, which relies on federal money for roughly 40 percent of their total funding, harshly criticized the GOP after the initial draft of the bill was released.
“If this is the Senate’s idea of a bill with heart, then the women of America should have fear struck in theirs. Slashing Medicaid and blocking millions of women from getting preventive care at Planned Parenthood is beyond heartless,” the Planned Parenthood statement reads. “One in five women in this country rely on Planned Parenthood for care. They will not stay silent as politicians vote to take away their care and their rights.”
The Daily Caller News Foundation reached out to Planned Parenthood for comment, but received none in time for publication.
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