Paul Ryan: ObamaCare vote will involve defunding Planned Parenthood
House Speaker Paul Ryan announced Thursday that Congress will vote to defund Planned Parenthood in the same reconciliation bill being used to repeal ObamaCare, meaning Republicans will need just a simple majority to pass it rather than a 60-vote supermajority of senators.
"I think the anti-choice movement sees smooth sailing," Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) told BuzzFeed News last week in anticipation of the move. Planned Parenthood expects about 40 percent of its funding could be cut if the defunding measure passes, The Washington Post reports. The organization received $553 million from the government in 2014.
Planned Parenthood is the nation's largest abortion provider, and also offers women's health services such as sexually transmitted disease screenings and treatment, pregnancy tests and prenatal care, breast exams, contraception, and sexual education. Donald Trump would be expected to sign the bill despite having voiced some support of Planned Parenthood in the past.
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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
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