Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid Harry Mason ReidThe Supreme Court vacancy — yet another congressional food fight Trump seeks to turn around campaign with Supreme Court fight On The Trail: Battle over Ginsburg replacement threatens to break Senate MORE (D-Nev.) pushed House Republicans to disband the committee investigating allegations that Planned Parenthood mishandled fetal tissue on Monday, following last week's shooting at a clinic in Colorado.

"We should not fail to see the context in which this vile assault took place. Last summer, a right-wing group began releasing videos with unsubstantiated allegations. Since that time the Republican Congress have made it their mission to push these unsubstantiated allegations," the Democratic leader said of the inquiry into the healthcare provider.

"Republicans shouldn't waste their time. I would hope that they would give up before they match the millions of dollars, last count more than $ 5 million, they've wasted on the so-called Benghazi 'let's get Secretary [Hillary] Clinton' Committee."

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House Republicans have defended the committee's work in the wake of the shooting at a Planned Parenthood facility in Colorado Springs, Colo., that left three people dead.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said Monday that the congressional investigation would continue.

“I think you’ll find putting together a select committee was sheerly for the basis of just getting to information,” he told reporters.

But Reid added on Monday afternoon that lawmakers "must be mindful of our words and our actions. We bring people into a frenzy of hate and anger while providing them with easy access to firearms — [that] has proven disastrous for our country."

The Nevada Democrat is also using the shooting to double down on a push to pass new gun control and background check legislation. Dozens of Democratic lawmakers rolled out a new initiative earlier this year, with Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) saying lawmakers will try to move a proposal later this year or early next year.

Separately, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) sent a letter to Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) on Monday asking that he shut down the Planned Parenthood investigation, which she said is a "witch hunt against Planned Parenthood, its staff and its patients."

"We should not and cannot continue this politically-motivated committee targeting Planned Parenthood, which is already costing taxpayers and helping to create a dangerous climate for legal health care in America," she wrote.