This story was updated Friday to show the Senate vote against Sen. Rand Paul’s effort to defund Planned Parenthood.
By a vote of 45 to 48, his amendment was rejected. It would have would barred Planned Parenthood and other abortion outlets from receiving federal funding.
The Kentucky senator late last week signaled that he would offer an amendment to the appropriations bill funding the departments of Labor and Health and Human Services, the relevant legislative vehicle for the Planned Parenthood funding ban.
Paul said in a statement that his effort was being blocked by leadership, but they rejected that claim and he did get a vote Thursday.
President Trump has proposed cutting funds to Planned Parenthood. The agency gets federal funds for its women’s health care but not abortion, though polls suggest that Republicans want the money train ended because it does abortion or refers to others that do.
Read more at the Washington Examiner.
