GOP Gives up Trying to Defund Planned Parenthood in Lame-Duck Session: Fingers Point to McConnell, Ryan, Collins, Murkowski

Calvin Freiburger : Dec 7, 2018
Lifesitenews.com

"They had two years to defund Planned Parenthood, and they failed. It's a huge frustration. We worked so hard to elect supposedly these pro-life Republican officials, and we expected results." -Kristan Hawkins, President of Students for Life

(Washington, DC)—[Lifesitenews.com] With only four weeks left until Democrats assume control of the House of Representatives, pro-lifers had hoped for congressional Republicans to make one final push to defund Planned Parenthood before losing their majority. But GOP leaders have already thrown cold water on those hopes. (Photo: US Capitol/Creative Commons-Pixabay)

Last week, leaders and representatives of Live Action, Students for Life of America, the March for Life, and the Susan B. Anthony List met with administration officials at the White House to urge President Donald Trump to veto the upcoming budget agreement if it continues to finance the abortion giant.

Live Action president Lila Rose and Students for Life president Kristan Hawkins both sent letters to the president reminding him of his campaign pledge to defund Planned Parenthood, and urging him to follow through.

Hawkins' letter specifically calls on Trump to "refuse to sign any budget that gives taxpayer funds to Planned Parenthood," move quickly on the Protect Life Rule against sending family planning dollars to abortion vendors, end all remaining funding of research using tissue from aborted babies, and cutting off sex education grants to abortion vendors.

Trump has once again floated threats to veto a budget that doesn't reflect his priorities, but most Republicans are unwilling to draw a line in the sand on Planned Parenthood, Politico reports. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-TX, attempted to rally support for another defunding effort, but his colleagues rejected it over fears of a potential government shutdown. A Cruz spokesperson says the senator will continue fighting to defund Planned Parenthood in the next session.

Politico quotes unnamed pro-lifers as being unwilling to force a budget confrontation, and instead favor a "longer term vision for incremental progress" that includes state laws, executive actions, and continuing to transform the judiciary. Judicial nominees only require approval from the Senate, whose pro-life majority is expanding next year... Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here

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