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Pence and Ailing Senator Deliver Votes to Block Family Planning Money Senate Lets States Defund Clinics That Perform Abortions
(about 7 hours later)
WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans, aided by Vice President Mike Pence and an ailing Georgia colleague who hobbled into the Senate chamber on a walker, voted on Thursday to proceed with a measure to undo an Obama administration rule preventing states from blocking funding for family planning clinics that also provide abortions. WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans, aided by Vice President Mike Pence and an ailing Georgia colleague who gingerly made his way to the Capitol with the aid of a wheelchair and a walker, voted Thursday to undo an Obama administration rule preventing states from blocking funding for family planning clinics that also provide abortions.
The vote was one of a string of showdowns to reverse Obama-era regulations, but this one unfolded with all the drama of numerous past conflicts over abortion funding — with Mr. Pence casting the deciding vote in his role as president of the Senate. The vote was one of a string of showdowns to reverse Obama-era regulations, but this one unfolded with all the drama of numerous past conflicts over abortion funding — with Mr. Pence casting the tiebreaking vote in his role as president of the Senate.
Taking money away from Planned Parenthood has been a longstanding goal of congressional Republicans, but each effort has been blocked by Democrats and President Barack Obama. “Today, Congress is sending a resolution to President Trump ensuring that states are not forced to fund America’s abortion giant, Planned Parenthood, with Title X tax dollars,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List, a prominent anti-abortion group.
Even full control of Washington by Republicans has not made the process easy. Taking money away from Planned Parenthood, the bill’s target, has been a longstanding goal of congressional Republicans, but earlier efforts were blocked by Democrats and President Barack Obama. Even with Republicans in full control of Washington, however, the process was not easy.
The vote set up the measure for a final vote later on Thursday. The measure would return the power to the states to single out abortion providers from receiving Title X money set aside for family planning and related preventive health services for women. Democrats all voted against the bill, as did two Republicans, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. The measure fell under a somewhat obscure and, until recently, rarely used Congressional Review Act that allows a new Congress to undo actions of the old Congress during the first few months of the year.
The vote remained open for more than an hour, as aides scrambled to find Senator Johnny Isakson, Republican of Georgia, who has been away after two back operations, and to summon the vice president. Mr. Isakson, who had been cleared by doctors to travel for a single day, came slowly into the chamber on his walker, flanked by Senate pages, to turn his thumb to the sky with an “aye,” making the vote a tie. It returns to the states the power to exclude health care centers that perform abortions from receiving Title X money set aside for family planning and related preventive health services for women. Title X grants cover contraception, as well as cancer and other disease screenings and treatments, but they cannot, under current federal law, be used to pay for abortion services.
Mr. Pence swept into the chamber to break the tie. Democrats all voted against the bill, as did two Republican senators, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. Ms. Collins and Ms. Murkowski have long opposed attacks on funding Planned Parenthood, which they argue provides services for women in areas with scarce health care options.
The measure falls under an obscure, and until recently, rarely used act that allows a new Congress to undo actions of the old Congress during the first few months of the year. Senator Johnny Isakson, Republican of Georgia, who returned after two back surgeries, was cleared by his doctors to travel for one day only to help pass the measure, but it took the final vote of Mr. Pence to break the 50-50 tie. The measure will now head to the desk of Mr. Trump, a onetime supporter of Planned Parenthood who adopted an anti-abortion rights position during the campaign.
A handful of Democrats stood on the floor taking in the scene. “This vote was won by a tie vote, and the vice president” was the tiebreaking vote, said Senator Patty Murray, Democrat of Washington. Democrats excoriated the measure on the Senate floor. “Historically low teen pregnancy rates did not happen in a vacuum,” said Senator Gary Peters, Democrat of Michigan. The measure, he said, “will disproportionately hurt people in rural and underserved areas where these clinics are more often than not their primary source of health care.”
“It will take one Republican this afternoon on the final vote to say yes for the women in their state,” Ms. Murray said. “That’s all we’re asking. For the women of this country.” The entire exercise seemed likely to be repeated for final passage of the measure later Thursday, after several hours of scheduled debate. Mr. Pence was also forced to travel to the Capitol earlier in the day for a procedural vote that opened debate on the bill.
If passed later, the measure would head to the desk of President Trump, a onetime supporter of Planned Parenthood who adopted an anti-abortion rights position during the campaign. The final vote remained open for more than an hour as aides waited for Mr. Isakson. He finally arrived in a wheelchair and was transferred to a walker so he could make his way into the Senate chamber and, flanked by Senate pages, give a thumbs up as an “aye.” Mr. Pence then swept in to break the tie.
Planned Parenthood is the central target of the measure. A similar fight could occur next month when Congress moves to pass a measure to finance the government for the rest of the year. Ms. Collins and Ms. Murkowski have resisted these moves, saying that family planning clinics provide essential care for women. A handful of Democrats stood on the floor, taking in the scene. “It will take one Republican this afternoon on the final vote to say yes for the women in their state,” said Senator Patty Murray, Democrat of Washington. “That’s all we’re asking. For the women of this country.”
“Mike Pence went from yesterday’s forum on empowering women to today leading a group of male politicians in a vote to take away access to birth control and cancer screenings,” said Dawn Laguens, executive vice president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. “People are sick and tired of politicians making it even harder for them to access health care, and they will not stand for it.” The Democrats could find no other Republicans to join them. But Republicans were also scarce in defending the bill on the floor before it passed.
“The deafening silence from the group of almost entirely male Republican senators are voting today to make it harder for women to get health care they need,” Ms. Murray said. “Not one spoke today to justify this vote.
“Where were those Republican senators today, Mr. President?” she added. “Why did they feel so entitled, not just to interfere with women’s health care decisions, but to do so without explaining themselves? If they are ashamed of their votes today, which they should be, they had ample opportunity to reconsider.”
After the vote, Senator Joni Ernst, Republican of Iowa, did give a speech praising the measure, one of the few that Republicans have been able to pass in recent years concerning abortion providers.
“It should be the right of our states to allocate sub-grants under the Title X program in the way that best fits the needs of the people living there,” she said. “Unfortunately, like many other rules issued during the Obama administration, this rule attempted to empower federal bureaucrats in Washington and silence our states.”
A showdown over Planned Parenthood could occur next month when Congress moves to pass a measure to finance the government for the rest of the year. Ms. Collins and Ms. Murkowski have resisted these moves, saying that family planning clinics provide essential care for women.
“Mike Pence went from yesterday’s forum on empowering women to, today, leading a group of male politicians in a vote to take away access to birth control and cancer screenings,” said Dawn Laguens, executive vice president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. “People are sick and tired of politicians making it even harder for them to access health care, and they will not stand for it.”