Congressional Republican leaders began advancing bills to prevent the GOP conservatives from shutting down the government next week in effort to defund Planned Parenthood.

Earlier this month, 31 conservative Republicans vowed to vote against any spending bill that includes government funding towards the non-for-profit women's health organization. Their renewed effort to stop funding the pro-choice group was sparked after a conservative anti-abortion group released videos that allegedly showed Planned Parenthood medical workers discussing the sale of aborted fetal tissue. Although the organization has denied any wrongdoing, dozens of conservatives pledged to stop federal funding for Planned Parenthood by any means necessary, despite the fact that no federal dollars can legally be allocated toward abortions.

If the conservative Republicans are successful in blocking a spending bill from passing by the Sept. 30 deadline, then the government will shut down on Oct. 1. However, in order to avoid a shutdown, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell set up a procedural vote on Monday for a funding bill that continues to support Planned Parenthood, reports The Hill. The move comes after almost every Democrat, along with eight Republicans, blocked a Senate bill earlier on Thursday that would fund the government through Dec. 11 and cut federal funds to Planned Parenthood.

The new short-term bill is widely expected to overcome Monday's procedural hurdle and be sent to the House early next week.

Republican Sen. Thad Cochran, the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, urged his Republican colleagues to back the new legislation, saying that it would "ensure continued government operations while we debate and pass appropriations bills on the Senate floor."

Nevertheless, House Republican Rep. Steve Scalise promised that conservatives will remain steadfast in "attacking this [abortion] on many fronts," reports Reuters.

He also noted that they will weigh other options, including bills for a moratorium on Planned Parenthood funds and effectively banning late-term abortions.