House to vote

House to vote to defund Planned Parenthood for a year

By Jake Sherman

The House will vote next week on a bill to prohibit the federal government from funding Planned Parenthood for one year, the first legislative step Republican leaders are taking to try and head off a government shutdown this fall.

The Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2015, penned by Rep. Diane Black (R-Tenn.), would deny the organization all funds for a year unless abortions aren't performed.

Government funding runs out Sept. 30, and Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) are trying to devise a plan to avoid a shutdown, while satisfying the dozens of GOP lawmakers who want to strip money from Planned Parenthood. President Barack Obama is unlikely to sign any bill that cuts off money from the women’s health organization.

House Republican leaders would prefer to keep the language to defund the group out of a continuing resolution to keep the government open.

Black's bill will likely clear the GOP House by a wide margin.