General Assembly votes to step in if Congress yanks funding for Planned Parenthood according to : Baltimore Sun

The General Assembly gave final passage Tuesday to a bill designed to protect Planned Parenthood if Congress votes to cut off federal funding. Planned Parenthood has long been a target of conservatives because it is the largest provider of abortions in the country. The Maryland General Assembly is the the first state legislature to pass a bill that would shield the organization against action by Republicans in Congress, Planned Parenthood said. Karen J. Nelson, Planned Parenthood's Maryland president, thanked the General Assembly for its work on the bill. Lawmakers in Nevada and Oregon are also considering legislation that backers say would help protect women's access to reproductive health services if Planned Parenthood lost federal funding and other federal policy changes.




President Trump had offered earlier this month to maintain federal funding of Planned Parenthood should it cease performing abortions. Pro-lifers have long pointed out that funding for Planned Parenthood does ultimately support abortion because money is fungible. It stated: "A bill is currently being pushed through the Maryland legislature that would use state taxpayer money to fund Planned Parenthood in the event that Planned Parenthood is defunded nationally. Pro-lifers had initially been hesitant to get behind the ACHA because of possible loopholes that would allow abortion funding to continue. LifeSite also asked about taxpayer funds that go to Planned Parenthood being fungible and did not hear back from the MCC.

Ryan: Don't tie Planned Parenthood to government funding fight

Moderate Republicans have previously called for Planned Parenthood funding to be addressed through separate legislation, while conservatives have refused to vote on government funding bills that send money to Planned Parenthood. "We think reconciliation is the tool, because that gets it into law," Ryan told reporters in response to a question about Planned Parenthood funding. A protracted showdown over whether to fund Planned Parenthood — which receives federal reimbursement for other health services but not for abortion — could trigger a partial government shutdown. ADVERTISEMENTFunding for the government expires on April 28, and conservative lawmakers are likely to push for long-sought cuts to federal spending in the next bill to keep the government running. Republicans lack enough votes in the Senate to break a Democratic filibuster, meaning any spending measure to fund the government must be able to garner bipartisan support.


collected by :Lucy William

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