FACT CHECK: ‘Every Single Democrat That Voted Against The Born Alive Bill Received Money From Planned Parenthood’
Kaya Jones, a former member of the Pussycat Dolls, claimed in a March 1 tweet that “every single democrat that voted against the born alive bill received money from Planned Parenthood.”
Every single democrat that voted against the born alive bill received money from Planned Parenthood. Women’s rights must be in a wallet it seems.
— Kaya Jones (@KayaJones) March 1, 2019
Verdict: True
Of the 44 senators who voted against ending debate and proceeding to a vote on the Born Alive bill, 42 were Democrats – all of whom received funding from Planned Parenthood during their latest election cycle.
Fact Check:
The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act was introduced to the Senate on Jan. 31 by Republican Sen. Ben Sasse. The legislation came after a Virginia delegate faced backlash for stating that an abortion bill under consideration in the state would allow abortions up until the moment of birth. (RELATED: Did Kathy Tran Do ‘Nothing To Change’ Virginia’s Late Term Abortion Law?)
The Senate bill would “prohibit a health care practitioner from failing to exercise the proper degree of care in the case of a child who survives an abortion or attempted abortion,” according to the bill summary.
On Feb. 25, the Born Alive bill only received 53 of the 60 votes necessary to end debate and proceed to a vote in the Senate. It received 50 “yea” votes from Republicans and three from Democrats, as well as 42 “nay” votes from Democrats and two from Independents.
Three senators were absent during the vote, all of whom were Republicans: Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Kevin Cramer of North Dakota and Tim Scott of South Carolina. Staff attributed the absence to prior commitments and delayed flights.
To assess the veracity of Jones’ claim, The Daily Caller compared the roll call vote to records held by the Federal Election Commission. For each of the 42 Democrats who voted against the Born Alive bill, all received contributions from Planned Parenthood during their last election cycle.
Planned Parenthood Action Fund donated to 41 of the senators’ primary campaign committees, while for one senator – Maria Cantwell – it donated to a joint fundraising committee registered with Cantwell’s campaign.
Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire opposed the bill on the Senate floor saying, “This bill is just another line of attack in the ongoing war on women’s health.”
Sasse responded to the vote by saying, “I want to ask each and every one of my colleagues whether or not we’re okay with infanticide … Are we a country that protects babies that are alive, born outside the womb after having survived a botched abortion? That is what this is about.”
Despite the failed vote in the Senate, Republicans are hoping to bring the measure to a vote in the House through a procedure known as the discharge petition. Republican Rep. Steve Scalise, the House minority whip, has already begun the discharge petition process. He faces an uphill battle, however, as such a motion requires an absolute majority, or more than half the members of the Democrat-controlled House, for passage.
The petition will be eligible for signatures in early April.
