Thread: Negotiators ready to table Planned Parenthood measure

Negotiators ready to table Planned Parenthood measure

From NBC’s Chuck Todd and Mike Viqueira

At this hour, it appears that negotiators are prepared to put the fight over federal funding of Planned Parenthood aside for the moment, increasing the chances of a deal to avert a government shutdown.

One GOP source says "the issue has been resolved," while a Democratic source describes the talks as "almost there" on the so-called 'rider' that has proven to be the biggest and last stumbling block to an agreement.

Still another source says that the issue is no longer on the table.

Basically, these sources indicate that negotiators will drop the rider from the current spending bill, thus clearing the way for a deal as long as there is a basic agreement on all other spending matters.

Politico reported late Friday that some differences still remain between negotiators on the final spending numbers.

The controversy stems from the $70 million Planned Parenthood receives annually under Title X, a program that provides contraceptives, cancer screenings, and sexually transmitted disease testing at community health centers.

Republicans make it clear that they will revisit the issue soon, perhaps when the even larger battle on raising the debt limit - expected in the coming weeks - is joined.

So call it a deferral, a tabling, or simply dropping the provision. At least for now.

But a top aide to Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid appears less hopeful, tweeting, "Despite tweets to the contrary, Republicans still digging in on Title X. Negogiations continue."

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