US House Votes to Defund Planned Parenthood
04/05/2017, LifeSiteNews
The U.S. House voted 217 to 213 to defund Planned Parenthood and repeal Obamacare today, sending its replacement, "TrumpCare," to the Senate.
The American Healthcare Act (AHCA) strips Planned Parenthood of most of its federal funding for the next year.
For one year, the AHCA eliminates more than $390 million (over 86%) of over $450 million in annual federal funding to Planned Parenthood.
The AHCA redirects funding to community health centers rather than Planned Parenthood abortion facilities. Community health centers, which outnumber Planned Parenthood facilities 20 to 1, offer comprehensive, non-violent healthcare.
The Family Research Council (FRC) supported the revised AHCA legislation because "it provides the best path forward to re-establish the fundamental federal policy that abortion is not health care," FRC President Tony Perkins said.
"AHCA repeals the Obamacare premium tax credits, which subsidize abortion on demand," said Perkins. "AHCA would also eliminate the Obamacare employer and individual mandate penalties, thereby allowing employers or individuals to forgo offering or purchasing coverage if doing so violates their conscience."
Perkins said if the Senate removes the pro-life provisions from the AHCA, it will not support the bill.