Senate rejects attempts to defund Planned Parenthood, health reform

The Senate has rejected a bill that would have blocked funding for implementation of President Obama’s new healthcare law.

The 47-53 vote, which broke along party lines, was an expected result in the chamber, which is run by Democrats. The bill fell short of the 60 votes needed to move forward.

The Senate agreed to hold the vote as part of the compromise spending deal negotiated last week. The deal

Although it had little chance of passing, Republicans insisted on the vote in order to put Democrats on record as defending the law – which has limited public support. The vote will likely be used as a political weapon in the 2012 campaigns.

No Democrats voted for the measure.

Also as part of the budget agreement the Senate took up a bill blocking federal money from flowing to Planned Parenthood. That measure also failed, though this time five Republicans also voted with Democrats in opposition: Sens. Olympia Snowe, (Maine), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Susan Collins (Maine), Scott Brown (Mass.) and Mark Kirk (Ill.).