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Congress to Vote on Defunding Planned Parenthood, Repeal of Obamacare

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Late last week, Congressional leaders reached an agreement on funding the federal government for this fiscal year which ends September 30, 2011. Three major right-to-life proposals were part of the negotiating process between the two houses of Congress and the President. This is the outcome:

  • A rider to prohibit abortion providers from receiving federal taxpayer dollars was eliminated from the agreed-upon measure. This rider would have effectively ended taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood. Senator Harry Reid did, however, agree to allow a Senate vote on a separate bill to defund Planned Parenthood at a later time. The separate bill is likely to pass in the House of Representatives but its success in the Senate is uncertain. If it passes in the Senate, President Obama is very likely to veto it. This bill is a different measure than the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act (H.R. 3) which will be voted on in the House this week.
  • Republicans attempted to add a repeal of Obamacare to the budget measure but were unsuccessful. Senator Reid agreed also to a vote in the Senate on the repeal which has already passed in the House. It is not known if there are enough votes in the Senate to repeal the health care law and the President is certain to veto a repeal if it is passed.
  • A rider to prohibit use of taxpayer dollars for the performance of abortions in the District of Columbia remains part of the agreed-upon measure and is likely to become law.

In Wisconsin, it is imperative that a huge outpouring of contacts be made with Senator Herb Kohl urging him to vote to defund Planned Parenthood. Wisconsin Right to Life will be leading this effort. The best way to be involved is to join our E-Voice online network here.

Barbara Lyons

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