Why Is This Maine Senator Hedging on the Budget?
Congress has plenty of work to do over the next couple of weeks before they jingle their way home for Christmas. One of the many items that we’re closely watching is the budget reconciliation debate that is heating up in the Senate. Despite the far-Left’s attempt to derail the language to defund Planned Parenthood, the provision actually seems to be gaining support.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), who many might confuse for a Democrat, was opposed to ending taxpayers forced partnership with the group until this week. To reporters, she hinted that the provision would no longer be an issue, saying, “I would like to see a much more targeted approach [to the abortion business’s defunding], but I’m looking at everything.” And while others try to use the Colorado clinic shooting as an excuse to drop the measure holding Planned Parenthood accountable for its baby harvesting ring, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) would hear none of it. As horrific as the shooting was, he—like many pro-lifers—doesn’t believe the incident should let Planned Parenthood off the hook for its own alleged criminal activity.
“Instead of playing politics with this tragedy, maybe those on the Left … should actually take the time to read the resolution establishing the Select Investigative Panel on Infant Lives. At no point does it mention Planned Parenthood,” Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) fired back. What happened in Colorado doesn’t change the reality of the situation, which is that Planned Parenthood was caught on tape admitting to the sale of baby body parts. “We are focused on a fact-finding mission into abortion practices and fetal tissue procurement and the relationship between the two businesses.”
The least Congress can do is to put the brakes on taxpayer funding of the organization in the meantime. Encourage your senators to do exactly that in the upcoming vote on the Restoring Americans’ Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015.
