Senate Zika Bill Falls Apart Largely Over Planned Parenthood Objections
Source: ABC News
Senate Zika Bill Falls Apart Largely Over Planned Parenthood Objections
By ALI ROGIN Jun 28, 2016, 3:12 PM ET
A billion-dollar bill to help address the Zika virus crisis fell apart on the Senate floor today over perennial partisan squabbles -- namely, about whether to devote funding to the family planning organization Planned Parenthood.
Democrats blamed Republicans for using the bill to whack the organization, while Republicans say the bill includes plenty of funding, allocated in the most effective way, to target those most affected by the Zika virus, including those seeking contraceptive services.
Both statements are disputed by the opposing side, but the fact is that the bill failed to receive the 60 votes necessary to advance, largely over disagreements about a portion of the money that amounted to less than 9 percent of its total funding.
The Zika bill also contains provisions related to the environment and the display of Confederate flags that Democrats find objectionable. In addition to the policy specifics, Democrats also object to the fact that the House Republicans revised and passed the conference report on a party-line vote in the dead of night last week amid the protests of House Democrats who were staging an unrelated sit-in on gun safety.
But no provision got more public push-back from Democrats than the lack of direct funding to Planned Parenthood.
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