Mike Pence Breaks Senate Tie To Allow States To Defund Planned Parenthood

WASHINGTON, DC — Vice President Mike Pence cast his tie-breaking vote in the Senate Thursday to ensure passage of a bill permitting states to prevent federal funding from going to health care clinics that offer abortion services. Senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine were the only Republicans to vote against the bill.

With all senators in the Democratic caucus also voting against the measure, the chamber was split 50-50, which triggered the vice president's tie-breaking powers.

Under rules from President Obama's Department of Health and Human Services, states could not withhold Title X funding from health care centers like Planned Parenthood because they offer abortion services.

Federal law has long prevented federal funds from paying for abortions; however, lawmakers and groups opposing abortion have more recently sought to weaken abortion providers by targeting any funding they receive for providing other services.

"Mike Pence went from yesterday's forum on empowering women to today leading a group of male politicians in a vote to take away access to birth control and cancer screenings," said Planned Parenthood's Executive Vice President Dawn Laguens in a statement. "There's a reason they could barely get enough votes to get this bill through a procedural step: People are sick and tired of politicians making it even harder for them to access health care, and they will not stand for it."

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell defended the vote on federalist grounds.

"This regulation is an unnecessary restriction on states that know their residents’ own needs best," the Republican leader said.

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