New Reconciliation Bill Leaves Planned Parenthood Defunding on the Cutting Room Floor
House Republicans left out defunding language for Planned Parenthood in a new $95 billion budget resolution released this week, despite months of promising that reversing federal funds to the nation's largest abortion provider would be a top priority of the next reconciliation package.
The resolution instructs four House committees, Administration, Armed Services, Intelligence and Agriculture, to draft legislation covering an immigration enforcement package, defense and Iran-related spending, and farm support. A one-year prohibition on Medicaid reimbursements to Planned Parenthood, included in last year's reconciliation bill, expired this month, making the organization newly eligible for federal funds again.
House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, said defunding had been discussed early in the process but was ultimately dropped as Republicans narrowed the bill to national security and election-related priorities, adding that he still believes Congress can revisit the issue later this year.
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., who tried unsuccessfully to attach a defunding amendment to last year's reconciliation bill, criticized the omission as a moral failure lawmakers would have to answer for. "There is no excuse, none, for Planned Parenthood to be receiving taxpayer money," Hawley said, calling on Congress to act immediately.
Planned Parenthood is the nation's largest abortion provider, reporting responsibility for roughly 430,000 abortions of unborn children last year, according to figures cited by pro-life groups tracking the organization's own annual reports.
Final Thoughts
With defunding absent from the latest reconciliation package, pro-life advocates are left waiting for another legislative vehicle, and another vote count, before federal dollars stop flowing to the nation's largest abortion business.