US House Fully Funds Planned Parenthood

In a huge defeat for Teabagistan, this morning the US House overwhelmingly approved its omnibus spending bill which fully funds Planned Parenthood. The Wall Street Journal reports:

In a 316-113 vote, a coalition of more centrist Democrats and Republicans passed the spending bill that would avoid a shutdown when the government’s current funding expires at 12:01 a.m. ET on Dec. 23. The Senate is expected to pass the bill later Friday, combined with a $622 billion package of tax cuts that cleared the House on Thursday. President Barack Obama is expected to sign both bills into law.

Lawmakers agreed in late October to the bill’s overall spending level, but congressional leaders spent weeks locked in negotiations over which policy provisions should be included. Both Democrats and Republicans blocked each other’s most partisan demands, striking an agreement early Wednesday that made policy trade-offs and tucked bipartisan measures into the last significant bill to clear Congress this year.

The Hill reports on the wingnut sadz:



Conservative Republicans are disappointed that the government-funding bill does not defund Planned Parenthood but say they are looking for compromise on the issue going forward. “I am disappointed that that wasn’t in there,” said Rep. John Fleming (R-La.). “I don’t see where we gained any ground on pro-life [issues].”

“I’m disappointed, I know that Paul Ryan is disappointed,” added Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.). Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-Kan.) wrote on Twitter that the “omnibus fully funds Planned Parenthood and their bartering over baby parts.”

Planned Parenthood, meanwhile, released a statement praising the funding bill and congratulating Democrats for “holding the line” against “extreme members of Congress.”