The Senate will soon vote on a bill that would prevent most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday set up a “fast track” legislative process for the measure to move directly to the Senate floor. The move comes as conservatives have increased calls for the Republican leadership in both chambers to strip taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood from legislation that would fund the federal government in the new fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.
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Planned Parenthood has come under intense criticism from pro-life groups, Republicans and other critics after undercover videos showed some organization officials who seemed to be talking about the sale of fetal body parts.
A new undercover video was released on Tuesday.
McConnell said he does not want to defund Planned Parenthood in the government spending legislation because Obama will veto it, which could result in a government shutdown that could be politically disastrous for the GOP.
Instead, he appears to be working to appease conservatives with a standalone measure. The “Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act,” would prohibit late-term abortions that yield the fetal tissue discussed by Planned Parenthood officials in the videos.
The House passed its version of the Pain Capable legislation in May.
