Protesters on both sides of the abortion issue rally at the Planned Parenthood in St. Paul, Minnesota.
The U.S. Senate agreed on Tuesday to vote on a proposed legislation to defund Planned Parenthood.
Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky introduced the legislation to block federal funds for Planned Parenthood last Friday, July 24 after the Center for Medical Progress, an anti-abortion group, recorded and leaked videos of Planned Parenthood officials speaking of selling aborted baby body parts for profit.
"The continued disregard and disrespect for human life at Planned Parenthood, a partially taxpayer-funded organization, is shocking and appalling," stated Senator Paul.
This bill will cut federal funds from going to Planned Parenthood. The proposal states, “Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no Federal funds may be made available to Planned Parenthood Federation of America, or to any of its affiliates."
Planned Parenthood receives over half a billion dollars annually from both the federal and state government funding. The use of federal dollars for abortions is banned except in the cases of rape, incest, or danger to the mother’s life. The federal law also bans the selling of fetal tissue for profit.
The House of Representatives voted to defund Planned Parenthood in 2011, but the legislation was never passed into law.
The proposed legislation needs 60/100 votes to pass in the Senate in which Republicans have majority. Should the bill pass through Congress, there is still a possibility that the Obama administration will veto the bill.
According to spokesman Donald Stewart, Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell plans to hold the vote before the August recess next week.
