GOP lacks votes to defund Planned Parenthood

WASHINGTON — The Senate’s top Republican is conceding that his party will have to await the next president before it can cut off federal funds that go to Planned Parenthood, prompting heated rebuffs from conservatives.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., says Republicans lack the votes to halt the payments. He also says that standing in the GOP’s way is President Barack Obama, who doesn’t leave office until January 2017.

“The way you make a law in this country, the Congress has to pass it, the president has to sign it,” McConnell said in an interview with Kentucky TV station WYMT recorded Monday.

“The president’s made it very clear he’s not going to sign any bill that includes defunding of Planned Parenthood,” McConnell said. “So that’s another issue that awaits a new president, hopefully with a different point of view about Planned Parenthood.”

The majority leader’s remarks drew angry responses from some conservatives, who have chided GOP leaders before for not being more confrontational with Obama.

“Senate leadership first told us we needed the majority before we could act on conservative principles,” said Phil Novack, spokesman for Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, a presidential candidate who this summer accused McConnell of lying. “But now it appears that they are making yet another excuse for a failure to act on our promises.”

Rep. Mick Mulvaney, R-S.C., who has been gathering signatures on a letter from lawmakers promising to oppose spending legislation this fall if it includes money for Planned Parenthood, likened McConnell’s comments to waving “a white flag.” Mulvaney said GOP senators should consider replacing their leader.