‘Big Loss for Planned Parenthood’: Court Upholds Trump Admin’s ‘Protect Life’ Rules

A US appeals court has upheld Trump administration rules that prevent taxpayer money from being used for abortions.

The rules forbid clinics that receive federal funds through the Title X program from making abortion referrals and from sharing space with abortion providers. In other words, the Title X money is only supposed to used for health care needs, not to promote abortion.

In a 7-4 ruling, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed arguments that the rule forces doctors to violate medical morals by withholding information from patients, Court News reports.

Title X funds are designed to help pay for family planning, cancer screenings, testing for sexually transmitted diseases, and other services, particularly for low-income patients. The “Protect Life” rule forbids grant recipients from using the funds to “perform, promote, refer to, or support abortion as a method of family planning.”

Planned Parenthood – America’s top abortion provider – announced last summer that it was pulling out of the federal family planning program rather than abide by the Trump administration rule the keeps participants from referring patients for abortions. At the time, critics said it was proof that Planned Parenthood is more concerned with performing abortions than providing actual health care for women.

US Department of Justice spokesperson Mollie Timmons said the agency was “pleased” by the new ruling.

“Congress has long prohibited the use of Title X funds in programs where abortion is a method of family planning and HHS’s recent rule makes that longstanding prohibition a reality. We look forward to continuing to defend this vital rule against all challenges.”

Pro-life advocates are commending President Donald Trump for keeping his campaign promise to defund Planned Parenthood.