Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Senate Push To Cut Off Planned Parenthood's Federal Funds Blocked
The 53-46 procedural vote fell short of the 60 ayes needed to proceed with a bill that would immediately stop funding for the beleaguered women鈥檚 health-care provider. But the willingness of GOP leaders to bring the measure to a vote showed the new political importance of a social issue that had been sidelined just a month ago and heralded higher-stakes showdowns to come. (DeBonis, 8/3)
Republicans are divided over whether they should use this fall鈥檚 government funding bill to attack Planned Parenthood 鈥 and risk a high-stakes shutdown fight 鈥 after Senate Democrats blocked a standalone bill to defund the organization on Monday evening. (Everett and Bresnahan, 8/3)
Senate Democrats blocked an attempt Monday by Republican leaders to cut off federal funding for Planned Parenthood, but the debate is likely to reignite this fall and could lead to a possible government shutdown. (Kelly, 8/4)
In the aftermath of the Senate's derailing of Republican legislation halting federal dollars for Planned Parenthood, one thing seems clear: Many on both sides think they can ring up gains from the battle. Within minutes of Monday's Senate vote, abortion-rights groups were releasing TV ads attacking GOP supporters of the measure for stomping on women's health care needs. Conservatives were accusing Democrats of voting to protect taxpayer funds for an organization whose campaign contributions tilt lopsidedly to Democratic candidates. (Fram, 8/3)
Republican legislation to cut off federal funding for Planned Parenthood failed to gather enough support in the U.S. Senate on Monday, halting at least for now moves to punish the women's health group for its role in gathering fetal tissue from abortions for medical research. Senate Democrats succeeded in stopping the bill on a procedural vote. Sixty votes were needed to advance it in the 100-person chamber. It received 53 votes, with 46 senators opposing it. (Cornwell and Wilts, 8/3)
The Senate failed Monday to advance a Republican-led measure to halt federal aid to Planned Parenthood, but leaders of the GOP-controlled chamber appear ready to continue the fight, galvanized by a series of unsettling videos about the group. The vote to bring debate on the bill was 53 against to 46 in favor. (8/3)
The fight over funding for Planned Parenthood shifts to a must-pass government funding measure this fall after a procedural vote in the Senate on legislation that would have barred all federal funds for the group failed on Monday. (Walsh, 8/4)
The Senate voted down a bill Monday that would take away more than $500 million in federal funding from Planned Parenthood after activists published a series of "sting" videos targeting the group. (Fox, 8/3)
As president of Planned Parenthood, Cecile Richards tries to keep perspective while the group faces one of its biggest political crises. After all, she said on Monday, the founder, Margaret Sanger, was arrested 99 years ago for pamphleteering about birth control. 鈥淭here hasn鈥檛 been a moment in our history, when we were pushing forward on reproductive health care rights and access for women, that someone wasn鈥檛 after us,鈥 Ms. Richards said in an interview. (Calmes, 8/3)