House Speaker Paul Ryan promises to 'defund' Planned Parenthood

House Speaker Paul Ryan vowed to “hold members accountable to the people” Tuesday after House Republicans dropped a plan to dismantle the Office of Congressional Ethics.
House Speaker Paul Ryan vowed to “hold members accountable to the people” Tuesday after House Republicans dropped a plan to dismantle the Office of Congressional Ethics.

House Speaker Paul Ryan says upcoming legislation to repeal the health care law would cut off taxpayer money to Planned Parenthood.

The Wisconsin Republican spoke after a special House panel issued a report criticizing the organization over providing tissue from aborted fetuses to researchers. Planned Parenthood provides birth control, abortions and various women's health services.

A similar bill last year also would have "defunded" the group, which receives government reimbursements from the Medicaid program for non-abortion health care for low-income women.

The defunding effort is a top priority of anti-abortion lawmakers but could complicate "Obamacare" repeal in the Senate, where at least one Republican senator has opposed the repeal. Susan Collins of Maine cited the effort to "defund" Planned Parenthood in her opposition to repeal.

Read Friday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.

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