The House Has Voted to Defund Planned Parenthood, Could Lead to a Government Shutdown

In a vote of 241-187, the House of Representatives has voted to halt funding to Planned Parenthood for a full year in order to investigate supposed “wrong-doing” and “harvesting” of fetal organs by the women’s healthcare provider. 239 Republicans and two democrats voted in favor of defunding, while three Republicans and 179 Democrats voted against it.

The two Democrats who voted “yay” are Rep. Dan Lipinski of Illinois and Rep. Collin Peterson of Minnesota.

After weeks of idiotic and laughable political theater, the House also passed a bill that will, according to The Hill, tighten “restrictions on abortion doctors who violate infant protections.”

The Hill also reports:

The House vote represents the first time that congressional Republicans have approved legislation to defund Planned Parenthood in the wake of this summer’s undercover video controversy. The vote is largely symbolic, as Democrats are expected to block the bill in the Senate.

[…]

House GOP leaders hope the legislation will help avert a government shutdown by appeasing the dozens of conservatives who have pledged to defund Planned Parenthood at all costs. Lawmakers have five legislative days left to pass a spending bill and stop the shutdown that GOP leadership is aggressively working to avoid.

(Emphasis ours.)

Remember: You can show support and donate to Planned Parenthood here.

Image via Getty.