Mass. Delegation Opposes Bill Blocking Funds For Planned Parenthood

Massachusetts' all-Democratic U.S. House delegation has voted unanimously against a bill blocking federal funding for Planned Parenthood.

Republicans pushed through the bill Friday on a 241-187 vote, hoping to contain conservatives' demands for a politically risky showdown with President Barack Obama.

The vote followed the release of secretly recorded videos of Planned Parenthood officials casually discussing how they sometimes procure tissue from aborted fetuses for medical research.

All nine members of the state's House delegation voted against the bill, including Reps. Michael Capuano, Katherine Clark, William Keating, Joe Kennedy, Stephen Lynch, Jim McGovern, Seth Moulton, Richard Neal and Niki Tsongas.

The bill would end federal payments to Planned Parenthood for a year.

Planned Parenthood gets about $450 million yearly in federal payments, practically none of which can be used for abortions. (Associated Press)