The House will vote on two bills next week that come in response to a series of sting videos accusing Planned Parenthood of breaking the law, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) announced from the House floor Friday.
The first, sponsored by Rep. Diane Black (R-TN), would place a one-year moratorium on federal funding to any Planned Parenthood affiliates that conduct abortions while investigations into the videos’ claims continue.
The second, McCarthy said, “adds criminal penalties to people who violate the Born Alive act, for medical providers who fail to provide medical care to a baby who survives the abortion procedure.” It will be sponsored by Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ), he said.
“Americans are rightfully outraged by what was depicted in these videos and Congress and the American people have a right to know exactly what is happening,” McCarthy said. “These two critical bills will ensure that we will get all the facts and protect those who cannot protect themselves.”
Since the release of the heavily edited videos — the claims of which Planned Parenthood vehemently refutes — anti-abortion lawmakers have rallied against the reproductive health organization and have called for the elimination of federal funds to Planned Parenthood.
The move to vote on the two House bills appears to be an attempt by leadership to offer an alternative route for conservative lawmakers to express their anger over the videos, rather than flirt with a possible shutdown of the government over Planned Parenthood’s federal funding.
Planned Parenthood Action Fund issued a statement from vice president of communications Eric Ferrero in response to news of the vote:
“Now that the false claims against Planned Parenthood have fallen apart, politicians are heartlessly scrambling to attack women’s access to health care however they can,” Ferrero said. “It’s clear those behind these attacks have always had a clear agenda: to ban abortion, and cut millions of women and men across the country from necessary reproductive health care. They’re continuing to push that agenda no matter how many they hurt in the process.”
Update: This story has been updated to include a statement from Planned Parenthood.
The revamping of the Salem Witch Trials for 2015. With even less proof.
The hysterical right, not funny but downright tragic. They directly threaten people’s lives with this bullshit.
On that “born alive” one, they better not use medically donated organs to help 'em survive.
These folks spend all kinds of time and money fighting for the unborn. But once they’re born they’ll just walk away and leave them for dead.
This is all about punishing the people that want the abortions and has nothing to do with protecting anyone.
They think that a symbolic vote will appease the base?
And in spite of the fact that abortion is becoming increasingly rare. The GOP as always: propensities in desperate search of pretexts.