An attempt to defund Planned Parenthood as part of an Obamacare repeal package could stymie plans to roll back the healthcare law, some Congressional Republicans are warning.
A number of Republican lawmakers have been fighting to cut off the group's funding because it provides abortions, The Hill reported.
And House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., has said Planned Parenthood would be defunded as part of the Obamacare repeal.
But other congressional Republicans don't want the two joined together.
"I don't think it makes sense to have the defunding of Planned Parenthood linked to this issue at all," said Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. "If the House Republicans want to bring it up, it should be in a separate bill. I would oppose that bill, but it further complicates the negotiations to have it included in this bill."
And Bloomberg noted that several Republicans recognize efforts to link the defunding to Obamacare could put the law's repeal at risk.
"We are just walking into a gigantic political trap if we go down this path of sticking Planned Parenthood in the health insurance bill," Bloomberg quoted Rep. John Faso, R-N.Y.
"If you want to do it somewhere else, I have no problem, but I think we are creating a political minefield for ourselves -- House and Senate," Faso said.
Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska has already said she will not support Obamacare repeal if it includes defunding Planned Parenthood, The Hill noted.
"I, for one, do not believe that Planned Parenthood has any place in our deliberations on the Affordable Care Act," she said.
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