Democrats and Republican House lawmakers sparred over two abortion bills Thursday, with a larger fight over a potential government shutdown looming.
The House Energy & Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Health held a hearing Thursday on a bill that ensures providers who terminate an infant born alive wouldn’t get money from federal programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. Another bill would enable states to do the same thing for providers who do partial-birth abortions.
Both procedures are banned under federal law, but Republicans backing the legislation say it’s needed after a series of undercover videos showed Planned Parenthood discussing the compensation and donation of aborted fetal body parts.
“We see evidence that some abortion providers feel they may interpret this very clear law to suit their own purposes,” said Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., vice-chair of the full committee. Blackburn is sponsoring the bill on born-alive abortions.
Democrats didn’t agree, and said the bills are a veiled way to restrict healthcare access to women. They were especially upset that a provider suspected of performing these procedures could be denied funding.
“This would redefine the freedom of choice for providers with Medicaid’s beneficiaries,” said Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo.
“It is clear that their true purpose is to eliminate Planned Parenthood,” added Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill.
But Republicans shot back that the bills won’t restrict access to healthcare services for women.
“If Planned Parenthood funding is put on hold or a state takes action against a clinic, women can still access care,” said Rep. Renee Ellmers, R-N.C., who sponsored the bill on partial birth abortions. She added that federally qualified healthcare centers can provide services for women still.
The hearing was held as a bigger fight over Planned Parenthood looms in the coming weeks.
The women’s health and abortion provider gets about $500 million in federal funding each year.
Conservatives in the House and Senate refuse to pass any government spending bill that includes funding for Planned Parenthood. GOP congressional leaders, on the other hand, hope to avert another government shutdown. Without a new funding bill by the end of the month, the government would face a partial shutdown.
President Obama said late Wednesday that he would veto any bills that defund Planned Parenthood.
