WASHINGTON, D.C. – After opposing the advancement of a government spending bill that would defund Planned Parenthood, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the following statement:

            “Using a government funding bill and the threat of a shutdown to try to defund Planned Parenthood is not governing. It’s irresponsible, and the American people – especially the thousands of women and men who rely on Planned Parenthood for vital health services every year – deserve far better,” Senator King said. “Congress should immediately pass a spending bill that adequately funds the government and averts a shutdown so that we can get down to work and negotiate the type of long-term budget agreement that our country needs to lift sequestration and grow the economy.”

Unless Congress acts, government funding is set to expire next week and the government will shut down. In remarks on the Senate floor last week, Senator King denounced the Congressional inaction that led to the current situation and called on Congress to pass a spending bill. In August, he also called for bipartisan budget negotiations to help avoid a possible shutdown. Additionally, as a member of both the Senate Budget and Armed Services Committees, Senator King has repeatedly called for balanced sequester relief to help grow the economy.

Senator King also opposed a previous effort in the Senate to defund Planned Parenthood in August. Like today, that effort also failed.

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