Senate GOP leaders on Tuesday promised to hold a vote to defund Planned Parenthood before their August recess, which is likely to begin next week.
{mosads}Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) has been tapped to lead the Senate’s response to the mounting undercover video controversy, along with Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and James Lankford (R-Okla.) – both of whom have authored legislation to defund Planned Parenthood.
The group will meet for the first time Tuesday afternoon in McConnell’s office. Read more here.
MEANWHILE, HOUSE HOLDS BACK: Don’t expect a vote to defund Planned Parenthood in the House before its August recess, a GOP leadership aide said Tuesday.
There is pressure on Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) to defund the organization, but he still believes that the “political reality” means that it’s best to wait out the investigations.
“In order to enact legislation to defund Planned Parenthood, we need more Republicans and Democrats in both the House and the Senate to support our efforts,” the aide said.
A third undercover video targeting Planned Parenthood was released on Tuesday, the same day that more than 100 anti-abortion activists staged a protest on the Capitol grounds. It was headlined by several GOP presidential candidates, including neurosurgeon Ben Carson and Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas).
Meanwhile, a House bill to defund the group has reached 140 supporters, its author, Rep. Diane Black (R-Tenn.), said Tuesday.
“We still do not have, from the Speaker’s office, a move-forward plan, but I’m continuing to gather sponsors on my bill,” Black said in an interview with the “Laura Ingraham Show.” Read more here.
ACROSS THE HILL, BURWELL DEFENDS THE FUNDING: Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell told a House panel that federal funding for Planned Parenthood provides important services for women like mammograms.
“We do not fund abortion,” Burwell told the House Education and Workforce Committee, though she also noted there are some exceptions in the Hyde Amendment, a law that prohibits federal funding of abortion.
A number of lawmakers, including a group of 49 senators last week, have called on HHS to investigate Planned Parenthood. Burwell resisted those calls on Tuesday, deferring to the Justice Department. Read more here.
THE END OF THE HEALTHCARE SPENDING SLOWDOWN? New federal data appears to illustrate a new trend in healthcare spending – up, up and up.
The amount of money spent on healthcare in the U.S. rose 5.5 percent last year, marking the biggest jump in six years. The data also shows that the growth is likely here to stay, with costs expected to rise each year through 2024.
This would end several years of lower-than-expected spending levels during the recession, which have been highlighted by the Obama administration as proof that it has helped control healthcare costs. Read more here.
Wednesday’s schedule:
The House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a markup of several health bills.
House Democrats will hold an event marking the 50th anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid.
State by state
Ohio pushes Medicaid sign-ups in prison
Oklahoma GOP chairman wants to outlaw abortion in state
Utah governor says new Medicaid expansion plan is less than a month away
California court refuses to rule on assisted suicide
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