SHOWDOWN

Pence Casts Tie-Breaker Allowing States to Defund Planned Parenthood

Procedural vote would allow states to withhold Planned Parenthood funding.

Vice President Mike Pence cast the tie-breaking vote Thursday in the Senate for a procedural vote on legislation that allows states to defund Planned Parenthood. The initial rule, passed during the Obama administration, said states could not pick and choose where to distribute its Title X funding for women’s health care, including contraception and cervical cancer screenings. This means states can now withhold funding to abortion providers such as Planned Parenthood. Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) blasted the GOP, tweeting: “[Pence] is on his way to break a tie on #TitleX funding. Just in case we didn’t already have enough men making decisions on women’s health.”