Source: ThinkProgress
If Congress fails to reach a budget deal, the government will shut down at midnight tonight — an event that would hinder economic recovery and withhold payment to soldiers. But congressional leaders are at loggerheads over one issue: family planning. Though it has zero impact on the federal budget, House Republicans are insisting that Democrats agree to eliminate funding for Planned Parenthood or make billions more in cuts.
While many Republicans are committed to holding up the budget over a social issue, at least three anti-choice Republicans are recognizing the absurdity of such an obstacle. Sens. Pat Toomey (R-PA), Tom Coburn (R-OK) and — surprisingly — Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) have signaled a willingness drop the policy rider to reach an agreement and avoid a shutdown:
– Toomey on MSNBC: “I think what we should do is cut spending as much as we can, get the policy changes that we can, but move on, because there are other, bigger battles that we are fighting,” he said yesterday.
Read more at:
http://thinkprogress.org/2011/04/08/anti-abortion-republicans-planned-parenthood-shutdown/