Vote to Defund Planned Parenthood Fails in Senate

The Senate failed to clear a procedural hurdle Monday on a measure that would have stripped Planned Parenthood of federal funding after a series of controversial videos surfaced which suggest the organization is selling fetal tissue for research.

The vote, which failed 53-46, would have redirected the more than $500 million in taxpayer funding Planned Parenthood receives annually to community health centers as a way to allow women to continue to receive care. The vote comes in the wake of four videos released by anti-abortion activists depicting Planned Parenthood employees apparently discussing the sale of body parts of aborted fetuses, which is illegal. Planned Parenthood has denied that such illegal activity takes place, and says the videos have been heavily edited and distort the truth.