Votes Expected On 2 GOP Bills Against Planned Parenthood

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – As the possibility of a shutdown of the federal government looms, Republicans in the House of Representatives are taking aim at Planned Parenthood.

Republicans have been pushing for two bills to be passed that are against the organization. The bills are in reaction to undercover videos showing Planned Parenthood officials casually describing how they provide researchers with tissue from aborted fetuses.

Anti-abortion activists say Planned Parenthood is illegally profiting from organ sales, something the organization strongly denies.

The GOP run house is on track to approve two measures Friday.

One bill would block Planned Parenthood's federal funds for a year. The other would inflict criminal penalties on doctors who don't try saving infants born alive during abortions.

Planned Parenthood gets around $450 million yearly in federal payments, mostly Medicaid reimbursements for handling low-income patients, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

That's around one-third of the $1.3 billion yearly budget for the organization, which has nearly 700 clinics.

There was widespread criticism of the organization at Wednesday's GOP presidential debate.

"We shouldn't be sending $500 million of taxpayer money to funding and ongoing criminal enterprise," Senator Ted Cruz said.

"Instead of dealing with the economy of our country, Republicans are up to some more of their, I don't know how even to describe it, insults, lack of respect, for women," Representative Nancy Pelosi said.

The debate also underscores how the age-old fight over abortion could affect next year's elections because it stirs strong feelings among each side's most loyal partisans.

The House is expected to meet Friday morning and votes are likely to happen by midday.

Anti-abortion protests in Minnesota have called for the state to investigate Planned Parenthood clinics. Governor Dayton said that investigations have not, and will not, happen.

Despite claims by those groups that Minnesota may have been mentioned in those undercover videos Dayton said there is no evidence to support that.