Trump signs short-term spending bill that funds Planned Parenthood

UPDATE 9/30: According to a report from CBS News, President Trump chose not to veto. He signed the short-term bill, which “includes a continuing resolution to keep the  government open through Dec. 7, averting a government shutdown ahead of November’s midterm elections.” The signing of the bill was closed to the press.

9/27: Despite two years of promises by Congress to defund the nation’s most profitable abortion chain, Planned Parenthood, the latest government funding bill that the legislative body sent to President Trump still contains funding for the wealthy corporation. Several pro-life groups have penned a letter to the president, asking him to veto the bill.

Live Action President and Founder Lila Rose is a signatory on the letter, along with Tom McCluskey of March for Life Action, Kristan Hawkins of Students for Life, Penny Nance of Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee, and Peggy Hartshorn, Ph.D, of Heartbeat International.

The letter calls on President Trump to keep the pro-life promise he made, which said he would “Defund[] Planned Parenthood as long as they continue to perform abortions, and reallocat[e] their funding to community health centers that provide comprehensive health care for women.” Now, they say, the rubber meets the road as this budget goes before the president.

Lila Rose said in a statement:

Planned Parenthood is shrinking, but abortions still increase

According to CNN, as it stands now, even pro-life Republicans are confident the president will sign the bill:

CNS News reports,”[t]his final version of H.R. 6157 permits funding of Planned Parenthood and federal research that uses tissue taken from aborted babies.

2nd Trimester Surgical Abortion: Dilation and Evacuation (D & E)

Senator Mike Lee of Utah was one of six Republicans opposing the bill. CNS reports:

Now pro-life leaders hope that despite the passage of the Planned Parenthood funding budget bill, President Trump will keep his promise this year and veto it, which, many say, could be a key to what sort of hold pro-life Republicans gain or lose in the midterm elections.

A budget must be passed by Sunday night, Sept. 30, to avoid a government shut down on Oct. 1.