House Speaker Paul Ryan confirmed on Thursday that Republicans are planning to use the Obamacare repeal to also defund Planned Parenthood at the same time

[AdSense-A]

Republicans plan to defund Planned Parenthood in Obamacare repeal

Paul Ryan said that cutting federal funds to Planned Parenthood would be part of the “reconciliation” bill – a parliamentary budget tactic that allows the Senate to pass a bill with simple majority vote rather than overcome the 60 vote threshold. The reconciliation process will prevent Democrats from being able to stop Republicans by using a filibuster against the measure. “Planned Parenthood legislation will be in our reconciliation bill,” Ryan said.

Last year Republicans passed a reconciliation bill that cut off funding for Planned Parenthood for one year. However, the Republican hope to defund Planned Parenthood may run into problems if more moderate Republican Senators like Sussan Collins object.

[AdSense-B]

Planned Parenthood fighting back

The Washington Post reported that, “Planned Parenthood on Thursday launched a campaign to resist congressional efforts to target the organization, with marches, letter-writing campaigns and other activities planned in dozens of cities over the next three months to demand that lawmakers abandon efforts to undermine a source of health care for 2.5 million Americans.”
The article went on to say:

The campaign coincides with the start of the new Congress, whose Republican leaders have pledged to end federal funding to the 100-year-old group, which receives about $500 million in federal grants and Medicaid reimbursements and is known for providing reproductive health care to women, including abortions. President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office later this month, has said he would sign such a bill.

As part of the new campaign, Planned Parenthood aims to show the deep support it has from men and women across the country, including from some who voted for Trump. They are linking their struggle to broader concerns about women’s issues, prompted in part by Republicans’ plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which allowed 55 million women to receive birth control through their health insurance without a co-pay. They also plan to highlight the records of several of Trump’s Cabinet selections and his vice president-elect, who oppose abortion rights and government efforts to widen access to birth control.

[AdSense-C]