I’m devastated the defunding of Planned Parenthood wasn’t included.
(Politico) — President Barack Obama said the budget negotiations weren’t the place to deal with contentious social issues — but the agreement doesn’t completely sidestep abortion.
Democrats beat back Republican attempts to cut funding for women’s health services, including for organizations like Planned Parenthood.
In fact, the deal is filled with several non-budget policy “riders” that bring some of the House Republicans’ favored causes into the budget agreement. Here is a list provided by the House Republicans:
— Guarantees Senate debate and vote on repeal of Obama’s health reform law. The House passed such a bill in January.
— Requires numerous studies of health reform that Republicans say “will force the Obama administration to reveal the true impact of the law’s mandates,” including studies on the law’s affect on premiums, the number and cost of contractors hired to implement the law and “a full audit of the waivers that the Obama administration has given to firms and organizations – including unions – that can’t meet the new annual coverage limits.”
— Denies additional funding to hire more IRS agents.
— Requires mandatory annual audits of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, created by the Dodd-Frank financial reform law, by both the private sector and the Government Accountability Office. The audits will examine the effects of the agency’s actions on the economy, including its impact on jobs.
