Congress to dig into abortion politics, post-Pope
By Manu Raju, Ted Barrett and Deirdre Walsh, CNN
Updated 10:05 AM ET, Thu September 24, 2015 | Video Source: CNN
Washington (CNN)Partisan rancor will return to the Capitol on Thursday just hours after Pope Francis addresses Congress, when Senate Democrats plan to block a must-pass funding bill because of their opposition to its anti-abortion provisions.
The bill, which would fund the government until Dec. 11, would also bar funding to Planned Parenthood, the women's rights organization Republicans revile because of the abortion services it provides. Democrats are demanding that the bill be stripped of this provision before they consent to fund the government before a critical Oct. 1 deadline.
But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has already acknowledged the measure will fail, has scheduled the vote as part of a complicated series of procedural steps aimed at avoiding the second government shutdown in as many years. McConnell and GOP leaders want to show their base that they lack the votes to defund Planned Parenthood, then quickly move on to a measure free of restrictions to the organization in order to keep money flowing to federal agencies.
On Thursday, McConnell is likely to begin the procedural process of bringing to the floor a "clean" funding bill to keep the government open until mid-December, pushing final votes until early next week -- on the eve of the funding deadline. Once the Senate passes a funding bill, it will leave the matter to the unpredictable House, where GOP leaders have yet to decide on their exact course of action.
Republican leaders are performing the delicate dance largely because of conservative outrage to controversial and edited Planned Parenthood videos secretly taped by an anti-abortion group, showing officials from the women's rights organization talking openly about selling aborted fetal tissue.
But, already GOP leaders are facing intensifying pressure from their right flank not to cave, with Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, accusing GOP leaders of "surrender," and Rep. Mick Mulvaney, R-South Carolina, winning the support of 30 of his colleagues to oppose any bill that funds Planned Parenthood.
The No. 2 House Democrat, Steny Hoyer, blasted Republicans who control Congress for running this debate right up to the deadline again.
"It's a terrible, inefficient, wrong way to run the government of the United States," Hoyer told reporters Wednesday, noting leaders have known for months that a bill would need to attract bipartisan support, but the GOP hasn't reached out to Democrats.
The pressure is most acute on Speaker John Boehner, who is facing a revolt from the conservative House Freedom Caucus over his leadership position. Some are warning they will try to force him out of the speakership if he allows federal funding for Planned Parenthood, a battle that could prompt an unprecedented battle on the House floor for the Ohio Republican to keep his job.
House GOP leaders plan to privately meet Thursday to hash out their own plans. Many expect them to ultimately accept a clean stop-gap bill and instead push to defund Planned Parenthood through a separate process known as budget reconciliation.
Such a tactic has already drawn scorn from the right, but a growing number of House Republican freshmen have called on the GOP to take the threat of shutdown off the table. A letter sent to Republican House members from 11 freshmen said their party should avoid and "unnecessary and harmful government shutdown" and support a short-term funding bill.
