WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today voted to defund Planned Parenthood.

The vote failed in the Senate 47-52 as 60 votes were needed to overcome a filibuster.

“I wholly support the defunding of Planned Parenthood. I would never send a budget to Capitol Hill that contains one penny of funding for Planned Parenthood. I believe we can still maintain a robust commitment to providing access to important preventative medicine and prenatal services without funding Planned Parenthood.”

CONGRESSIONAL ACTION ON PLANNED PARENTHOOD AND GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN:

“We will fight to defund Planned Parenthood, but we do not have the votes to win the battle right now. Instead, we should set our sights on winning the war and that only comes about by electing a President and Congress committed to protecting life.”

“President Obama is downright hostile to the cause of protecting life. And we do not currently have 290 members of the House of Representatives, along with 67 Senators, who will vote to override a presidential veto.

“From past experiences, I know the media and many Americans will reflexively blame the Republican Party should a government shutdown occur. I fear a government shutdown will harm our ability to achieve our ultimate objective of defunding Planned Parenthood.”

####