Speaker Paul Ryan Paul Davis RyanKenosha will be a good bellwether in 2020 At indoor rally, Pence says election runs through Wisconsin Juan Williams: Breaking down the debates MORE (R-Wis.) said Tuesday that Congress shouldn’t try to defund Planned Parenthood in a measure to fund the government, but instead should use a separate healthcare reform bill.

“We think reconciliation is the tool, because that gets it into law,” Ryan told reporters in response to a question about Planned Parenthood funding.

“Reconciliation is the way to go,” he added, referring to a legislative process that prevents the Senate from filibustering legislation that doesn’t impact federal debt.

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Funding for the government expires on April 28, and conservative lawmakers are likely to push for long-sought cuts to federal spending in the next bill to keep the government running.

A protracted showdown over whether to fund Planned Parenthood — which receives federal reimbursement for other health services but not for abortion — could trigger a partial government shutdown.

Moderate Republicans have previously called for Planned Parenthood funding to be addressed through separate legislation, while conservatives have refused to vote on government funding bills that send money to Planned Parenthood.

Republicans lack enough votes in the Senate to break a Democratic filibuster, meaning any spending measure to fund the government must be able to garner bipartisan support.