Eric Cantor on Friday pledged to vote next week on abortion restrictions (Jason Reed/Reuters)

Eric Cantor on Friday pledged to vote next week on abortion restrictions (Jason Reed/Reuters)

House Republicans next week plan to pass legislation that would close what they say are loopholes that allow last year's healthcare law to be used to provide federal support for abortions. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) said the House would consider H.R. 358, the Protect Life Act, on Thursday. The bill, offered by Rep. Joe Pitts (R-Pa.), amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) so that federal funds would be prohibited from being used to cover any part of the costs of any health plan that includes coverage for abortion services.

Even though poll after poll lists jobs and the economy as the top priority of most Americans, House Republicans can't find the time to even bother to vote on the American Jobs Act. Instead, they're going to spend next week focusing on the divisive social issue of abortion:

Here's an idea for Republicans: why don't they just go ahead and pass the jobs bill before sucking up to their socially conservative base? Then they can spend however much time they want cuddling with their wingnut friends. But first, do something for the American public.

p.s. The health care reform law signed by President Obama doesn't cover abortion services, but the one signed by Mitt Romney for does cover abortion services. I wonder when Rick Perry is going to figure that out. It's pretty astonishing that he hasn't jumped on it already.