House Republicans to consider plan that would avoid government shutdown

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24 (UPI) -- Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives will hear a proposal Friday that would strip federal funding for Planned Parenthood but avoid the government shutdown that looms over the issue, sources said Thursday.

House Speaker John Boehner is pitching the strategy, which would fast-track the move against the organization and put it on President Barack Obama's desk without having to risk a shutdown.

The strategy is set to be discussed Friday in a closed-door meeting, sources said.

Boehner's motive with this strategy is to satisfy about 30 GOP House members who are willing to risk a shutdown if the stripping of Planned Parenthood isn't attached to a critical spending bill.

However, Bloomberg Politics reported Thursday, some in the House may consider challenging Boehner's leadership.

The current spending arrangement expires Sept. 30. The Senate is planning to submit a new spending bill, which would fund the government through Dec. 11, two days earlier.

However, analysts say, Boehner's plan might not work because Obama would likely veto the bill stripping Planned Parenthood and Republicans don't have enough votes in the Senate for an override.

Planned Parenthood has received criticism for weeks after a series of "undercover" videos surfaced online purportedly showing organization personnel discussing the sale of body parts from human fetuses.

Bloomberg's report cited two GOP sources with inside knowledge of the strategy.