House Passes Two Antiabortion Bills in Effort To Avoid Federal Government Shutdown
On Friday, the House passed two antiabortion bills in an effort to avoid a government shutdown over funding for Planned Parenthood. Following the release of a series of videos targeting Planned Parenthood, some conservative lawmakers have said they will not support any government spending measure that includes funding for the organization. The government will shut down after Sept. 30 if lawmakers do not pass a continuing resolution to keep it funded through mid-December. One bill (HR 3134) passed on Friday would eliminate Planned Parenthood's federal funding for one year, while the other (HR 3504) would create steep penalties for abortion providers in certain situations. The Senate has not arranged for a vote on either measure.
- "House Votes To Freeze Federal Funding for Planned Parenthood" (Ferris, The Hill, 9/18).