Defunding Planned Parenthood - The Pence Amendment to the Fiscal year 2011 Budget

Summary

Congressman Mike Pence (IN) is pursuing the defunding of Planned Parenthood through two approaches: passing separate legislation and amending the yearly federal budget.

His bill, H.R. 217, the Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act, would deny federal funds spent through the Title X family planning program from being given to any entity that performs abortions. If enacted, it would permanently prevent Planned Parenthood or any other abortion provider from receiving federal family planning dollars unless it stopped doing abortions or Congress changed the law.

Congressman Pence is also pursuing a different tack to end government subsidies for the nation’s largest abortion business: amending the annual federal budget to stop Planned Parenthood, by name, from receiving any federal funds. Like the Hyde amendment, this approach would require annual renewal to remain in effect for more than one year.

H.R. 1, the Fiscal Year 2011 budget bill that included the Pence amendment to defund Planned Parenthood, was passed by the House of Representatives and defeated in the Senate. The budget agreement ultimately accepted by President Obama, Senate Democrats, and House Republicans in April did not include the Pence amendment, but did allow for a separate vote on H. Con. Res. 36, an “enrollment correction” sponsored by Congresswomen Diane Black (TN) and Martha Roby (AL) that would have added the language of the Pence amendment to the final FY 2011 continuing budget resolution.

While the final FY 2011 budget vote to defund Planned Parenthood (H. Con. Res. 36) once again was passed by the House and defeated in the Senate, it did succeed in placing Congressmen and Senators on record as to their support for the abortion giant.

Texts

The full text of the Pence amendment may be found at www.nrlc.org/ahc/PenceHR1PlannedParenthoodAmendment.pdf.

The full text of H. Con. Res. 36 may be found at www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-112hconres36rds/pdf/BILLS-112hconres36rds.pdf.

Roll Call Votes

4-14-11 The House of Representatives voted 241-185 in favor of H. Con. Res. 36, which would have added Pence amendment language to the FY 2011 budget. The House roll call vote is available at http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2011/roll271.xml.

4-14-11 The Senate voted 42-58 on H. Con. Res. 36, defeating the attempt to defund Planned Parenthood from the FY 2011 budget. The Senate roll call vote is available at http://senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=112&session=1&vote=00060

Statements

Congressman Mike Pence floor statement, “Deny Any and All Funding to Planned Parenthood” (2-17-11) -- http://mikepence.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4497:floor-statement-for-pence-amendment-deny-any-and-all-funding-to-planned-parenthood&catid=88:2011-news&Itemid=55

Congressman Mike Pence op-ed, “Pence Addresses ‘Misconceptions’ About Amendment to End Funding for Planned Parenthood” (2-24-11) - http://mikepence.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=46&Itemid=92

Congressman Mike Pence blog article, “Myth v. Fact: Planned Parenthood Amendment” (4-11-11) – http://mikepence.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4577&Itemid=104

Congressman Chris Smith House floor statement, “Planned Parenthood Is Hiding Something” (4-14-11) – http://chrissmith.house.gov/UploadedFiles/APRIL_14_2011_Floor_remarks_on_Planned_Parenthood.pdf

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