Federal Appeals Court Rules In Favor Of Trump Administration’s Changes To Family Planning Funding
The panel of three Republican-appointed judges ruled that the Trump administration can implement new rules prohibiting federal family-planning grants to health clinics offering on-site abortions or referrals for the procedure. Although the decision isn't the final say on the issue, the court predicted that the administration will come out the victor in the battle. Dr. Leana Wen, president of Planned Parenthood, called the news “devastating” for the millions of women who rely on the program for services such as cancer screenings, HIV tests and birth control, and said the organization would immediately appeal.
The Washington Post:
Trump Administration’s Abortion ‘Gag Rule’ Can Take Effect, Court Rules
A panel of federal appeals court judges ruled on Thursday that a Trump administration family planning “gag rule” that could cut as much as $60 million in Title X funds from Planned Parenthood could go into effect immediately. The decision is a major setback for the women’s health-care provider and for 21 state attorneys general who filed lawsuits shortly after the policy was published in March, arguing it would undermine the patient-provider relationship and endanger the health of millions of women. (Cha, 6/20)
The Wall Street Journal:
Court Allows New Rules Blocking Family-Planning Funds For Abortion Providers
The court order, from the San Francisco-based Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, hands a victory to the White House and social conservatives, and deals a blow in particular to Planned Parenthood Federation of America, which has been the largest family-planning care provider under a federal program known as Title X. The Ninth Circuit generally is considered the nation’s most liberal appeals court, but the administration drew a favorable conservative panel for the case; all three judges who participated were appointed by Republican presidents. (Kendall, 6/20)
Politico:
Appeals Court Says Trump Family Planning Restrictions Can Take Effect
A panel of three judges, all appointed by previous Republican presidents, said the administration will likely prevail in the legal battle over the Title X family planning program since the Supreme Court held up similar Reagan-era rules almost 30 years ago, though they were reversed by the Clinton administration before taking effect. "Absent a stay, HHS will be forced to allow taxpayer dollars to be spent in a manner that it has concluded violates the law, as well as the Government’s important policy interest in ensuring that taxpayer dollars do not go to fund or subsidize abortions," the judges wrote in a 3-0 opinion. (Ollstein, 6/20)
The Hill:
Appeals Court Allows Trump Abortion Referral Ban To Take Effect
Title X grants fund clinics offering contraceptive services to low-income women and men across the country. It’s not clear when the changes will take effect. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) did not respond to a request for comment. “We are pleased that the Ninth Circuit has cleared the way for this important executive branch action to take effect while our appeals are pending," Department of Justice spokeswoman Kelly Laco said in a statement. (Hellmann, 6/20)
USA Today:
Trump Abortion Rules Can Take Effect, Federal Appeals Court Rules
In reversing those decisions, a three-judge panel in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco called the rules reasonable. The court, which has drawn Trump's ire in the past for blocking immigration orders, said the rules match a federal law prohibiting taxpayer funds from going to “programs where abortion is a method of family planning.” (Lam, 6/20)
Fox News:
Appeals Court Lifts Injunctions On Family Planning Rules, In Win For Trump Administration
The 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals -- which previously upheld separate nationwide injunctions on a range of Trump administration policies, including on immigration -- issued the order Thursday, giving a major victory to the Trump administration. “We are pleased that the Ninth Circuit has cleared the way for this important executive branch action to take effect while our appeals are pending,” Justice Department spokeswoman Kelly Laco said. “The Department of Justice’s position is supported by long-standing Supreme Court precedent and we are confident we will ultimately prevail on appeal.” (Mears and Pappas, 6/20)
CNN:
Abortion Clinic Referral Restrictions Can Take Effect, 9th Circuit Rules
"To find that the Final Rule's enactment was arbitrary and capricious, the district courts generally ignored HHS's explanations, reasoning, and predictions whenever they disagreed with the policy conclusions that flowed therefrom," the judges wrote in a 25-page opinion. "Title X is a limited grant program focused on providing pre-pregnancy family planning services -- it does not fund medical care for pregnant women," the opinion adds. "The Final Rule can reasonably be viewed as a choice to subsidize certain medical services and not others." (Berman, 6/20)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Appeals Court In SF Restricts Family-Planning Funding, Abortion Referrals
The ruling was issued by a randomly selected panel made up of three of the court’s most conservative judges: Edward Leavy, Consuelo Callahan and Carlos Bea. Plaintiffs in the three lawsuits — California, 21 other states and Washington, D.C., along with medical and family-planning organizations — could ask the full appeals court for a rehearing. (Egelko, 6/20)
Modesto Bee:
9th Circuit Court Allows Trump Abortion Rule To Take Effect
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said in a statement that California would “continue our fight in court” against the rule, which he said prohibits “doctors and other medical providers from giving factual, unbiased information to patients.” Gov. Gavin Newsom also blasted the Thursday decision. (Amezcua, 6/20)
