House Votes to Defund Planned Parenthood

WASHINGTON (The Blaze/AP) -- The House has approved a Republican proposal to block federal aid for Planned Parenthood.

The 240-185 vote on Friday is a victory for anti-abortion forces led by Indiana GOP Rep. Mike Pence. He says taxpayer money should not go to groups that provide or promote abortion.

Democrats say Planned Parenthood provides contraception and other valuable family planning services, and that cutting off the money will make it hard for women to get such basic help.

Planned Parenthood provides services in hundreds of clinics around the country. Pence aides say the group reported receiving $363 million in federal money in its latest report.

The proposal is part of a bill that seeks to cut government spending this year.

The Democratic-run Senate has stronger abortion rights views than does the House, making it unlikely the House proposal will survive.

Planned Parenthood has came under heavy scrutiny recently. The group Live Action released a series of undercover videos this month showing Planned Parenthood workers advising a fake pimp on how to circumvent abortion laws and even how to run an underage sex ring.