planned parenthood

In a big victory for life, a federal appeals court ruled the Trump administration can withhold Medicaid dollars from Planned Parenthood locations that provide abortions.

On Friday, December 12, a panel of judges on the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a unanimous opinion that Congress has the constitutional authority to deprive Big Abortion organizations, including Planned Parenthood, of taxpayer money.

The Court of Appeals vacated preliminary injunctions issued by U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani that had blocked the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from withholding Medicaid dollars from Planned Parenthood.

The case stems from Section 71113 of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) which Congress passed and President Trump signed into law on July 4.

Section 71113 prohibits federal Medicaid dollars from going to any non-profit organization that is “primarily engaged in family planning services,” performs abortions and received over $800,000 in Medicaid funding in 2023. The provision lasts for one year.

Days after the law was enacted, Planned Parenthood filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, arguing the law was an unconstitutional bill of attainder that punished the organization and its affiliates. Judge Talwani sided with Planned Parenthood.

Judge Gustavo Gelpí, a nominee of former President Joe Biden, explained the OBBBA “does not inflict punishment,” he wrote in the Dec. 12 decision. He was joined by Judges Lara Montecalvo and Seth Aframe, also Biden nominees.

“Section 71113 … simply does not impose ‘punishment’ as the term has been historically understood,” the court explained. “That Section 71113 regulates only certain abortion providers does not mean that it punishes those that it does regulate.”

The U.S. Supreme Court has struck down statutes on bill of attainder grounds only five times in American history, the court noted.

Constitutionally, when Congress utilizes its tax and spending power, it has “‘broad discretion’ to place ‘limits on the use of such funds to ensure they are used in the manner [it] intends,’” the court expounded. Judicial review of such decisions “‘must be deferential.’”

The Court of Appeals’ ruling returns the case back to the district court for further consideration.

“Today, a court has once again allowed the Trump administration to enforce Congress’s unconstitutional ‘defund’ of Planned Parenthood – enabling their attempts to block access to care for patients most in need and force Planned Parenthood health centers to the financial brink,” complained Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

“The intent is clear: They want to shut down planned Parenthood health centers and make it harder for everyone, everywhere to get the health care they need.”

If Planned Parenthood was truly concerned about women being unable to access health care, the solution is simple: stop providing abortions. If it did so, the organization could again qualify for taxpayer-funded Medicaid reimbursements.

But since Planned Parenthood is an abortion business, and profits off the killing of hundreds of thousands of preborn children every year, it’s unlikely to make that choice. Every year, the abortion giant performs an increasing number of abortions and fewer real health care services.

Nearly 50 Planned Parenthood clinics have been forced to close this year. The organization, which has almost 600 clinics, estimates as many as 200 of these could close if funding losses continue.

Waiting in the gap to help women are approximately 2,750 pregnancy resource centers nationwide that provide nearly $368 million in free services to clients every year. These centers are motivated by compassion, not profit.

In a separate but related lawsuit, 23 states sought a preliminary injunction to prevent Section 71113’s enforcement in their states. After Judge Talwani also granted that injunction, the 1st Circuit issued an administrative stay to place the judge’s ruling on hold while it considers the Trump administration’s request to stay the injunction pending appeal.

The flurry of lawsuits seeking to prevent Section 71113’s enforcement demonstrates the provision’s success in ensuring taxpayer dollars don’t subsidize an industry that kills preborn children.

For that reason, congressional Republicans must extend the one-year provision and defund Big Abortion organizations – again – in an upcoming budget bill.

The case is Planned Parenthood v. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

If you are experiencing an unexpected pregnancy and want to learn more about your options, you can visit My Choice Network.

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Photo from Shutterstock.

A federal appeals court has stayed U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani’s ruling that had ordered the Trump administration to keep funding Big Abortion organizations, including Planned Parenthood, in violation of federal law.

A panel of judges on the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted the Trump administration an administrative stay on Monday, December 8, putting on hold Judge Talwani’s Dec. 2 preliminary injunction ordering the Trump administration to continue funding Planned Parenthood in 23 states.

On July 29, the states, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts seeking to prevent enforcement of Section 71113 of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) which Congress passed and the president signed into law on July 4.

The challenged provision prohibits federal Medicaid dollars from going to any “prohibited entity” that provides abortions and received over $800,000 in Medicaid funding in 2023. The provision lasts for one year.

On Dec. 2, Judge Talwani sided with the states and blocked enforcement of the provision in the states that are plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

The judge said the plaintiffs were likely to succeed in their claim that Section 71113 “fails to provide states with clear notice, in violation of the Spending Clause,” and is “impermissibly ambiguous” about what organizations qualify as “prohibited entities.” The judge said the law constitutes an “unconstitutional retroactive condition on [the states’] participation” in Medicaid, Reuters summarizes.

Judge Talwani granted a seven-day administrative stay from her ruling.

Following the ruling, the Trump administration promptly appealed to the 1st Circuit, requesting a stay pending appeal and an immediate extension of the administrative stay.

The administration reminded the appeals court that Judge Talwani had originally blocked the defunding of Planned Parenthood in every state in a separate lawsuit filed by the abortion giant, before the 1st Circuit stayed that ruling.

“Undaunted, the same district court has again enjoined enforcement of Section 71113, concluding this time that Congress had not made clear which entities were covered by the funding prohibition,” the Trump administration told the court in a filing on December 8.

“Defendants respectfully request a stay pending appeal and an immediate extension of the administrative stay to prevent any interruption in the applicability of a duly enacted Act of Congress that this Court has already once acted to leave in effect.”

On Dec. 8, the 1st Circuit granted the administration’s request for an extension of the administrative stay and said it would rule on its request for a stay pending appeal “promptly,” which would allow the Trump administration to continue to enforce the defund provision while the case proceeds.

The decision was made by three judges on the 1st Circuit, including Chief Judge David Barron, a nominee of former President Barack Obama; and Judges Gustavo Gelpí and Lara Montecalvo, both nominees of former President Joe Biden.

In 2024, Planned Parenthood earned over $2 billion in revenue by killing a record 402,200 babies by abortion that year alone, its most recent annual report shows.

The abortion giant has increased the number of abortions it performs by 23% since 2013. At the same time, Planned Parenthood has provided:

• 10% fewer services
• 54% fewer cancer screening and prevention services
• 61% fewer breast exams
• 54% fewer pap tests
• 63% fewer prenatal services

Planned Parenthood earned a profit of $206 million in the last two years alone by performing more abortions but fewer real healthcare services.

“The One Big Beautiful Bill Act is federal law passed by Congress and signed by the president,” said SBA List Pro-Life America president Marjorie Dannenfelser in a statement after Judge Talwani’s Dec. 2 ruling.

“Planned Parenthood’s more than 40 closures this year are a reflection not only of taxpayers finally having their voice heard, but also their failing business model that prioritizes abortion, politics and profits at the expense of women and children.”

The Daily Citizen will keep you updated on this case as it moves forward.

If you are experiencing an unexpected pregnancy and want to learn more about your options, you can visit My Choice Network.

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Dealing With Unplanned Pregnancy

Become an Option Ultrasound Life Advocate

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Federal Judge Blocks Planned Parenthood Defunding – Again

Photo from Shutterstock.

Once again, a federal district judge has bailed out the abortion industry and ruled taxpayer monies – to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars – must keep flowing to Big Abortion organizations, including Planned Parenthood.

If you’re feeling a sense of déjà vu, I can’t blame you.

On July 4, 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) into law which defunded the abortion industry for the first time in U.S. history. The bill prohibited federal Medicaid dollars from flowing to healthcare providers that provide abortions and received more than $800,000 in Medicaid funding in 2023. The provision defunded the abortion industry of roughly $800 million and lasts for one year.

Four days later, Planned Parenthood filed a federal lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts seeking to prevent the Trump administration from enforcing the defund provision. Within hours, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani sided with the abortion giant and issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) compelling the Trump administration to keep taxpayer monies flowing to Planned Parenthood.

Planned Parenthood and Judge Talwani’s legal reasoning was baseless, as she wrote that the OBBBA somehow violated Planned Parenthood’s First Amendment right of association and was an unconstitutional bill of attainder.

In addition, Judge Talwani’s actions violated the Constitution: Congress, not the federal judiciary, holds the “power of the purse” and can fund – or not fund – whatever it so chooses.

Article 1 Section 9 of the Constitution, enumerating Congress’ powers, states: “No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law.”

On July 28, Judge Talwani doubled down and issued a preliminary injunction requiring the Trump administration to “take all steps necessary to ensure that Medicaid funding continues to be disbursed in the customary manner and timeframes to Planned Parenthood Association of Utah, Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, and all other Members of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc.”

The Trump administration promptly appealed Judge Talwani’s decision to the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Thankfully, on September 11, a three-judge panel of the 1st Circuit handed down a unanimous decision allowing the Trump administration to defund Planned Parenthood while the lawsuit plays out.

Highlighting the audacity of Judge Talwani’s reasoning, all three appeals court judges assigned to the case – Judges Gelpí, Montecalvo, and Aframe – were nominated to the court by former President Joe Biden. They’re not your stereotypically conservative judges.

However, while this first lawsuit played out, a coalition of 23 states, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, filed a separate lawsuit on July 29 seeking to prevent enforcement of the defund provision in their states. The case, also filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, was assigned – once again – to Judge Talwani.

On Tuesday, December 2, Judge Talwani – apparently taking no hint from the 1st Circuit – again issued a preliminary injunction enjoining the Trump administration from enforcing the defund provision in the 23 states that joined the lawsuit. The judge claimed that the OBBBA’s defund provision “failed to provide clear notice to States that participate in the joint Federal / State Medicaid program, as required by the Spending Clause of the United States Constitution.”

The order takes effect in seven days, giving the Trump administration little time to appeal the decision.

“This administration’s attempt to target and defund Planned Parenthood is as dangerous as it is illegal,” said Attorney General James in a statement. “Planned Parenthood provides invaluable health care services for millions of people throughout the country. I will not allow this administration to threaten New Yorkers’ health care and reproductive freedom with its political games.”

Of course, the Trump administration is doing nothing of the sort. It is required by federal law – as the OBBBA was passed by the Congress and signed by the president – to defund abortion providers of Medicaid dollars.

“The Democrats and their radical activist judges are desperately seeking to thwart the will of the people and bail out the Big Abortion industry, led by Planned Parenthood,” said SBA Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser in a statement.

Dannenfelser added,

Pro-life activist Lila Rose also sounded the alarm after the judge’s ruling.

BREAKING: A pro-abortion Boston judge is AGAIN trying to block the law defunding Planned Parenthood & big abortion

The new order for 22 states and D.C., is set to take effect in 7 days unless the appeals court stops her.

This ruling must be overturned and the law must stand!

— Lila Rose (@LilaGraceRose) December 3, 2025

Following Judge Talwani’s latest ruling, U.S. Senator Mike Lee floated the idea of impeaching the judge.

“It would take an act of Congress to defund Planned Parenthood,” Sen. Lee wrote. “So, Congress did precisely that. To suggest Congress somehow lacks the authority to do that is insane — and potentially impeachable.”

Thankfully, this year has already seen a large number of Planned Parenthood centers close, largely due to the OBBBA’s defund provision.

The American people must ask ourselves, “Are we governed by our elected representatives in Congress and a duly elected president? Or are we ruled by a single unelected, unaccountable federal judge?”

The Trump administration will hopefully appeal Judge Talwani’s decision to the 1st Circuit in the coming days. For now, Judge Talwani has seized power that rightly belongs to the American people for herself.

If you are experiencing an unexpected pregnancy and want to learn more about your options, you can visit My Choice Network.

Related articles and resources:

My Choice Network

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Dealing With Unplanned Pregnancy

Become an Option Ultrasound Life Advocate

New Insights on the Dangers of the Abortion Pill

Overcoming Abortion and Becoming a Force for Life

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Photo from Getty Images.