OK Senator Lankford Speaks After Bill To Defund Planned Parenthood Blocked

The fight over funding for Planned Parenthood will be brought up this fall, according to Oklahoma Senator James Lankford. 

Monday, the U.S. Senate voted 53 to 46 to halt Democratic delaying tactics aimed at killing the GOP bill authored by Lankford.That vote was seven short of the 60 needed to keep the measure moving forward.

Oklahoma Senator James Lankford introduced the bill. Only on 9, Justin Dougherty spoke with the senator for his reaction.

Since the release of secretly taped videos targeting Planned Parenthood, Senator Lankford has become the leader in the fight to defund Planned Parenthood. Now his efforts have been halted. But he said he's nowhere close to giving up.

On Monday, the bill he authored fell seven votes shy of passing in the Senate. The bill would have stripped Planned Parenthood of its more than $500 Million in federal funds.

In the videos released from a medical activists group, Planned Parenthood staff members are allegedly seen discussing profits from illegally selling aborted fetus tissue. Planned Parenthood officials continue to deny the allegations, stating abortions are only 3 percent of Planned Parenthood's services.

Federal funds are prohibited from being used for abortions unless the pregnancy arises from incest, rape, or to save the mother's life. Senator Lankford said this it's clear the program has changed.

The senator’s bill actually called for the funds to be redirected to community healthcare centers.

But from here, the senator said he will continue the fight and the conversion about abortions.