This was a vote on an amendment by Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) prohibiting Planned Parenthood from receiving federal funds.Planned Parenthood provides a number of reproductive and child health services. Abortions are among the services that Planned Parenthood offers. However, Pence’s amendment would have banned federal funding for all Planned Parenthood services—not just abortions.  This amendment was offered to a continuing resolution funding the federal government through September 2011, and cutting $61 billion in federal funding for many government programs.

Pence urged support for his amendment: “Now I know that some consider this amendment to be something of a war on Planned Parenthood. But this is not about Planned Parenthood's right to be in the abortion business. Sadly, abortion on demand is legal in America. This is about who pays for it. Nobody is saying that Planned Parenthood can't be the leading advocate of abortion on demand in America, but why do I have to pay for it? Nobody is saying that Planned Parenthood can't continue to be the largest abortion provider in America. But why do tens of millions of pro-life American taxpayers have to pay for it?”

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) opposed the amendment: “…This amendment by the Congressman from Indiana continues… [a] pattern of contempt for women's health and basic rights. With this amendment, my colleague is trying to specifically exclude one provider of legal health services, Planned Parenthood, from federal funds….and it needlessly puts the lives of American women in danger. Planned Parenthood carries out millions of preventative and primary care services every year. This includes immunizations and routine gynecological exams. This includes nearly 1 million screenings for cervical cancer, identifying more than 90,000 women who are at risk for cervical cancer. Every year, cervical cancer kills 4,000 women. If you can identify the risk early on, then you can save a woman's life. Planned Parenthood cares for more than 3 million American men and women every year.”

The House agreed to this amendment by a vote of 240-185. Voting “yea” were 230 Republicans and 10 Democrats. 178 Democrats and 7 Republicans voted “nay.” As a result, the House agreed to an amendment prohibiting Planned Parenthood from receiving federal funds provided by a continuing resolution.