The Hill News

A group of 41 Senate Democrats say they oppose a House-passed measure that cuts federal funding for family planning programs, including Planned Parenthood.

The proposal passed as an amendment to the House GOP's government funding plan, and is a key element of the spending debate on Capitol Hill.  In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), the group called the cuts "extreme."

{mosads}"We write to you today to affirm our strong support for making women’s health and family planning services affordable and available, and ask that you stand with us against extreme proposals by some members of the House to eliminate support for women’s health and family planning programs and providers that serve millions of women and families," reads the letter, which was organized by Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) "We also oppose the provision in the House-passed continuing resolution that cuts Planned Parenthood health centers off from federal funds."

The Republican proposal is one of several policy "riders" to the spending plan passed by the House that remains a major sticking point in negotiations between both parties.

If Democrats and Republicans cannot agree on a bill that funds the government through the end of the fiscal year by Friday, it would likely trigger a government shutdown. 

Any spending plan would need the support of 60 senators to break a potential filibuster.

Democratic leaders have insisted a bill with the riders attached would be a non-starter in the Senate, and the amount of signatures on Boxer's letter illustrate that point. Twelve members of the Senate Democratic caucus did not sign the letter. 

But Republicans are facing major pressure from conservative activists to keep the cuts intact. The anti-abortion rights group Susan B. Anthony's List released st! atements Monday from five potential Republican presidential candidates voicing their support for the amendment, proposed by Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.)

Several centrist GOP senators have voiced opposition to cuts to family planning programs, such as Scott Brown (Mass.), Susan Collins (Maine), and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska). But none signed the Democratic letter.

The full letter and list of signers can be found below the jump:

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