09.24.15

McConnell: Senate Democrats’ Opposition to Defunding Planned Parenthood Won’t End the Debate

‘By placing their allegiance with the Far Left instead of women, Democrats are making a losing bet they will come to regret over the long term.’

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor today regarding the introduction of a Continuing Resolution to fund the government:

“Those of us who believe in protecting innocent and precious life may have lost a vote today, but we’re steadily winning a larger argument — a critical argument that goes to the heart of who we want to be as a society.

“We can feel momentum for life on the rise just as we see extremism on the other side increasing.

“By placing their allegiance with the Far Left instead of women, Democrats are making a losing bet they will come to regret over the long term.

“Today, however, we must grapple with the challenges of the present.

“Democrats’ insistence on blocking the strategy pursued today means we have to consider the options now before us. The reality is that the government will shut down next week if Congress doesn’t act.

“Here’s what the President of Right to Life had to say to those of us who believe in protecting life:

‘There are two different roads that we can take. One is to insist that no more money go to Planned Parenthood and cause a government shutdown (which won’t result in actually defunding Planned Parenthood). The other is to take a slightly longer-term approach, taking advantage of the fact that we have the attention of the country as probably never before…’

‘…Every well-informed pro-lifer wants to defund Planned Parenthood. I want to defund Planned Parenthood. There are wonderful pro-life men and women in Congress who want to defund Planned Parenthood. And, certainly, National Right to Life wants to defund Planned Parenthood. The difference here is in strategy.’

“This is not the end of this debate or this discussion. I urge colleagues to join me in supporting the legislation I’m about to file on, which would ensure the government remains open.”

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Related Issues: Senate Democrats, Appropriations, Defending Life