FBI warns of threat to reproductive health care facilities

With Congress grappling over the future of funding for Planned Parenthood, CBS News has learned that law enforcement authorities are seeing an uptick in attacks on reproductive health care facilities.

A newly-released FBI Intelligence Assessment says, "it is likely criminal or suspicious incidents will continue to be directed against reproductive health care providers, their staff and facilities," reports CBS News' Jeff Pegues.

Since the release of the initial video by pro-life organization Center for Medical Progress in July, investigators say there have been nine criminal or suspicious incidents across the country.

The incidents include reported cyber-attacks, threats and arsons. The FBI believes the incidents are, "consistent with the actions of lone offenders using tactics of arsons and threats all of which are typical of the pro-life extremist movement".

The warning comes as GOP and Democratic members of Congress grapple with measures to remove Planned Parenthood from the overall government spending bill.

With only a few days left before the end of the fiscal year and the possibility of a federal shutdown in sight, the Senate is planning to vote on a spending bill that will include a measure defunding Planned Parenthood.

Despite overwhelming Democratic opposition, Texas Sen. John Cornyn, the Republican party's majority whip, laid out a plan to vote on a continuing resolution -- which would temporarily fund the government until a long-term deal is reached -- and that also cuts federal money to the women's health organization.

"I think there will be a vote on that. I just don't think Democrats will let that pass," Cornyn told Politico Thursday. "We will vote on defunding (Planned Parenthood) on the (continuing resolution) in some form or another."

But Senate Republicans aren't banking on that bill's passage. Even Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell admitted Wednesday that "the cold hard reality for those who don't support Planned Parenthood is that we need a president who has a similar view and would sign our bill."

When that continuing resolution fails, according to a Politico report, the GOP plans to push for a last-minute spending bill that still includes federal money for Planned Parenthood in order to avert a government shutdown.

The Senate has already voted once before to defund the women's health organization. The bill, which would have redirected federal money from Planned Parenthood to other community health organizations, failed in August with only 53 votes -- seven short of the 60 votes needed to pass it over the Democrats' filibuster.

Senate Republicans are also planning to vote Tuesday to ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. The bill is not expected to win the 60 votes needed to move forward.

The House voted to block Planned Parenthood funding on Friday, though the measure faces a veto from the president if it passes through the Senate.