Paul Ryan: GOP will defund Planned Parenthood in Obamacare repeal

The Republican Party is set to defund Planned Parenthood as part of its repeal of Obamacare, House Speaker Paul Ryan said.

Funds to the reproductive health organisation are to be cut as part of a "reconciliation" bill on Obamacare – meaning Democrats will not be able to filibuster the proposal, and Republicans will not need to get 60 votes to push it through.

"Planned Parenthood legislation will be in our reconciliation bill," Ryan told The Hill, although he did not give specific details about the legislation.

Ryan's comments came following a House panel report issued on Wednesday (4 January), which criticised Planned Parenthood for its practice of allowing aborted fetal tissue to be used for research.

The issue of funding for Planned Parenthood is one of significance to anti-abortion campaigners and groups, who believe that funding the organisation facilitates abortion – despite the fact federal law dictates public funding should only be used by the organisation for services excluding abortion.

"The entire movement is poised for a victory," Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of anti-abortion advocacy group Susan B Anthony List, told Politico.

"We have every assurance [from congressional leaders] that it's going to happen. Nobody is saying 'whether,' the question is 'when'".

Democrats have registered their objections to any potential defunding of the organisation, with additional fears the steps to defund the organisation are the first in a series of clampdowns over abortion regulations in the US.

And despite Trump flip-flopping on abortion throughout the course of his campaign, he has emerged as increasingly pro-life, with many of his allies and cabinet members also decidedly anti-abortion.