Sep 30 The real fight over Planned Parenthood is not in Congress By Margaret Sessa-Hawkins, Amanda Gomez With so much attention focused on the fight on Capitol Hill, Americans may be missing a crucial point – a number of the changes Republican lawmakers are working hard to pass at the federal level have already been enacted by… Continue reading
Sep 30 Senate approves temporary spending bill to avoid government shutdown By Andrew Taylor, Associated Press WASHINGTON — A temporary funding measure that would keep the government open past a midnight deadline easily sailed through the Senate on Wednesday and was expected to make its way shortly through a divided House and on to President Barack… Continue reading
Sep 25 Speaker Boehner announces resignation at end of October By Erica Werner and Alan Fram, Associated Press WASHINGTON -- With Congress in turmoil, House Speaker John Boehner suddenly informed fellow Republicans on Friday that he would resign at the end of October, stepping aside in the face of hardline conservative opposition that threatens an institutional crisis. Continue reading
Sep 23 GOP pragmatists unhappy with tea party efforts to shut down government By Andrew Taylor, Associated Press Rank-and-file Republican lawmakers are increasingly protesting the tactics of tea party colleagues who demand that legislation to keep the government open also take away federal funding for Planned Parenthood. Continue reading
Sep 22 Senate blocks anti-abortion bill; new showdown set By Alan Fram and Andrew Taylor, Associated Press Senate Democrats thwarted a Republican effort to ban late-term abortions on Tuesday as GOP leaders strained to avoid a government shutdown in eight days over the dispute. Continue reading
Sep 18 House votes to block Planned Parenthood’s federal funds By Andrew Taylor, Associated Press A divided House voted Friday to block Planned Parenthood's federal funds for a year, as Republican leaders tried to keep GOP outrage over abortion from spiraling into an impasse with President Barack Obama that could shut down the government. Continue reading
Sep 17 GOP leaders seek to avert shutdown over Planned Parenthood By Alan Fram and Andrew Taylor, Associated Press House Republican leaders scrambled on Thursday to head off a politically damaging government shutdown in two weeks over rebellious conservatives' demand that any stopgap spending bill block federal funds for Planned Parenthood. Continue reading
Sep 16 GOP debate fact check: Who’s right in Trump vs. Bush? By Calvin Woodward, Associated Press Viewers of the second Republican presidential debate heard inflated claims about Planned Parenthood abortion practices and a dubious assertion by Donald Trump that he wasn't interested in establishing casinos in Florida when anti-gambling Jeb Bush was running for and serving… Continue reading
Sep 16 CBO report: Planned Parenthood cut would limit healthcare access, save $235M By Alan Fram, Associated Press Congress' official authority on the budget says a Republican bill halting federal payments to Planned Parenthood for a year could leave about 390,000 people with reduced health care access and save taxpayers about $235 million. Continue reading
Sep 14 GOP leaders face difficult battle to avert federal shutdown By Alan Fram and Andrew Taylor, Associated Press A band of conservatives say they won't back legislation financing government agencies unless the bill blocks federal payments to Planned Parenthood. A partial shutdown will occur Oct. 1 unless lawmakers provide money to keep government functioning. Continue reading