Great but doomed: Rand Paul introduces promise-keeping amendment to defund Planned Parenthood

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., wants Republicans to fight to defund Planned Parenthood in the government spending bill currently making its way through the United States Senate.

In a statement released Friday, Paul said it was time for Republicans to change words into action.

“One of the top priorities for a Republican Congress that professes pro-life values on the campaign trail should be to stop taxpayer funding for abortion providers. This is our chance to turn our words into action, stand up for the sanctity of life, and speak out for the most innocent among us that have no voice,” he said.

According to Paul's office, the amendment would not block health care providers that do not perform abortions from receiving federal funding.

In the 2016-2017 fiscal year, Planned Parenthood received a total of $543.7 million in federal funding at the taxpayer's expense.

According to The Hill, Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., warned that Paul's amendment would be a "spoiler" to the massive Defense, Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Education funding bill. GOP leadership has promised to avoid adopting "poison pill" proposals to these funding bills.

What that means, in plain English, is that Senate leadership is unwilling to force the Democrats to choose between funding abortion providers with taxpayer dollars or shutting down the government. Murdered babies aren't worth the effort for most Republicans.

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