Nationwide Injunction Issued Against Trump’s Policy Change On Family Planning Funding
Judge Stanley A. Bastian of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington state said in his order that the rule would cause family planning clinics “to face a Hobson’s choice that harms patients as well as the providers.”
The Washington Post:
Trump Abortion ‘Gag’ Rule Blocked By Federal Judge
A federal judge issued a nationwide injunction Thursday, temporarily blocking the Trump administration from imposing new anti-abortion restrictions on the use of federal family planning funds designed to assist 4 million low-income women. The rule, promulgated in March by the Department of Health and Human Services, would have barred programs receiving the money from saying or doing anything to advise or assist a patient about securing an abortion. Critics called it a “gag rule.” (Barbash, 4/25)
The New York Times:
Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump Rule On Abortion Referrals
Judge Bastian wrote that the plaintiffs in the case had “submitted substantial evidence of harm” if the administration’s rule were to take effect. “Yet,” he wrote, “the government’s response in this case is dismissive, speculative and not based on any evidence presented in the record before this court.” The judge’s ruling granted an immediate preliminary injunction, preventing the imposition of the Trump administration rule, which was scheduled to take effect on May 3. (Belluck, 4/25)
Politico:
Judge Freezes Trump Abortion Rule
U.S. District Court Judge Stanley Bastian, an Obama appointee, issued a nationwide injunction staying the changes from taking effect while several other legal challenges proceed. Bastian heard several hours of arguments Thursday from Washington state and the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association challenging the administration's Title X funding rule and arguments from the Justice Department defending the changes. (Ollstein, 4/25)
Reuters:
U.S. Judge Blocks New Trump Abortion Rule For Health Clinics
"Today’s ruling ensures that clinics across the nation can remain open and continue to provide quality, unbiased healthcare to women," Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson said in a statement announcing the decision. Washington state was a named plaintiff in the case challenging restrictions proposed by the U.S. Health and Human Services Department (HHS) to its Title X program subsidizing reproductive healthcare and family planning costs for low-income women. (4/26)
The Hill:
Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump Ban On Abortion Referrals
Planned Parenthood President Leana Wen praised the ruling in a statement Thursday evening, saying it “will allow four million people to continue receiving life-saving breast and cervical cancer screenings, HIV testing, STI treatment, and affordable birth control.” “At a time of rising maternal mortality and escalating STI infections, politicians need to stop attacking women’s health care and instead work with doctors and public health leaders to increase access to health care,” Wen said. The preliminary injunction means the Trump administration can't enforce the rules while lawsuits challenging them are moving through the courts. (Hellmann, 4/25)
Seattle Times:
Federal Judge In Yakima Blocks Trump Abortion Rule That Foes Called ‘An Outrageous Attack On Patients’
As the state’s attorneys made their arguments in Yakima, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., visited a Planned Parenthood health center in Seattle’s Central District to meet with leaders of the organization and hear from women who use services funded through Title X. “This is about women making the right decisions for themselves, for their health care, so they can be capable of doing what they need to do, whether that is going to school, having a family later, getting their house in order if that is what they need to do,” Murray told the women. (Blethen, 4/25)
Meanwhile, in other news —
The Associated Press:
Alabama House To Vote On Abortion Ban Next Week
Alabama lawmakers next week will debate one of the most stringent abortion restrictions in the nation. The House Rules Committee put the bill on the House of Representatives' debate schedule for Tuesday. The measure would make performing an abortion a felony with almost no exceptions. (Chandler, 4/25)
