This article originally appeared on National Review Online on February 25, 2011.
Will Pence Survive?
By: Kathryn Jean Lopez
A coalition of groups lead by the Susan B. Anthony List has sent a letter to Speaker Boehner urging that the Pence amendment vote defunding Planned Parenthood make it into the Continuing Resolution.
In bold letters, it says:
the House vote on the Pence Amendment is nothing more than symbolic unless it remains intact through the legislative process. Defunding Planned Parenthood must be a non-negotiable in the Continuing Resolution and we urge you to accept nothing less than this outcome.
Boehner’s office told me earlier this week: “The speaker supports the Pence amendment and is pleased that the open process in the House led to Friday’s vote. He welcomes the enthusiasm for debate and oversight that has followed from the recent alarming Live Action videos. Planned Parenthood and its affiliates have demonstrated they are not defenders of women’s rights and health.”
Next week is not going to be a pretty one on Capitol Hill. Senate Democrats remain stubborn. (And I suspect the Senate might be awash in Planned Parenthood pink — lobbying — as the House was last week.) Politico Pro reports:
That long-term continuing resolution Senate Democrats are preparing won’t be loaded up with the kinds of health care riders the House put into its bill, Democratic aides say.
That means no defunding of the health care law, and no defunding of Planned Parenthood either – giving the Senate a “clean” bill it can take into negotiations with the House to fund the government for the rest of the year.
“Any measure to keep the government open should be clean,” said Democratic leadership spokesman Brian Fallon.
