We have heard for decades the cry to “defund Planned Parenthood.” With the election of a president who does not support abortion, we saw the Hyde Amendment and the Mexico City Policy reinstated earlier this year. This gave hope that there could at least be an end to taxpayer support of abortions at Planned Parenthood locations in states where abortion is still legal (PP locations are by far the biggest abortion facilities in the country, so they are the primary target).

Those unfamiliar with how Planned Parenthood came into being and how it was going bankrupt when it was saved by the Supreme court’s decision in Roe v Wade in 1973 can read about it in my book Building a Culture of Life (see under “My Books”). I also discuss the Hyde Amendment and the Mexico City Policy and other related topics and how various presidents have enforced or rescinded these in their administrations. Also, see my comments in the last previous post.

However, it is of utmost importance and a matter of serious controversy that tax money has still been paying for these abortions. How this is done has also been discussed in my book. Briefly stated, when PP could not charge for doing abortions, they were still able to charge Medicaid for other services to women. They used additional billing codes to show that services were provided so that they got paid when no additional independent services were really provided. As an example, a woman in for a well exam could be billed for the visit as a “well woman exam,” or the billing could be done for each and every part of the exam as if they were at separate visits so that the charges were much larger. The excess money helped subsidize the overhead for doing abortions.

They could also buy abortion equipment under global supply orders to justify how federal money was spent on supplies without separating charges for medical equipment from materials to perform abortions. Furthermore, they are paying the wages of medical personnel for doing well exams and procedures, then having the same person assist with abortions down the hall. Thus, part of the salary of that person (paid by tax money for well woman services) was paying part of the overhead for doing the abortion.

Attempts to prevent these ways of getting around the Hyde Amendment were resisted by political entities in Congress when it was not controlled by a president who opposed abortion. That is why, with the election of a president who opposed abortion and a Congress with a (slim) majority of the same political party, there began to be hope that permanently stopping taxpayer funding of any services at PP could be possible. With the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed into law on July 4, there has been much celebration. However, one wonders if the celebration is a bit premature. Many compromises had to be made to get the bill passed out of Congress with very slim margins. The pro-abortion factions are still very strong (even among republicans) and supported by a LOT of money (I have also discussed in my book how this is done).

“The defunding provision, part of the sweeping tax and spending bill signed by Trump on July 4, imposes a one-year ban on Medicaid payments to any company that kills babies in abortions and received over $800,000 in federal funding in 2023. While the legislation does not name Planned Parenthood explicitly, the organization argues it is the primary target, potentially forcing the closure of nearly 200 of its 600 centers nationwide. However, it could receive federal funding if it merely stop killing babies.” https://www.lifenews.com/2025/07/28/judge-again-blocks-new-law-defunding-planned-parenthood/?cmid=12835e81-2501-4eca-a89a-7074f2f07319

Following the finest tradition of judge-shopping, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, an Obama appointee, issued a new temporary restraining order that blocks the defunding measure. “Patients are likely to suffer adverse health consequences where care is disrupted or unavailable,” Talwani wrote. She went on, but I will not recite here the familiar arguments for continuing to keep PP afloat by subsidizing abortions. Their own data claims that they do roughly 400,000 abortions every year. In their 2023-24 annual report, Planned Parenthood reported over $2 billion in income and over $2.5 billion in net assets. Do they really need the $800,000 taxpayer money they received to help subsidize abortions ??

It is now reported that PP has closed 33 facilities: California: 6, Illinois: 4, Indiana: 1, Iowa: 4, Michigan: 4, Minnesota: 4, New York: 1, Ohio: 3, Texas: 3, Utah: 2, Vermont: 1. However, before we celebrate with too much enthusiasm, PP says it may need to close 200 of its 600 centers nationwide, and has closed those 33 already. In the past PP and their political supporters have argued the same as the judge above: “…restricting [Medicaid] Members’ ability to provide healthcare services threatens an increase in unintended pregnancies and attendant complications because of reduced access to effective contraceptives, and an increase in undiagnosed and untreated STIs [sexually transmitted infections],” Talwani added.

By deliberately cutting services in specific areas, PP will be able to assert (and find some women and political partners to support the claim) that they were harmed by lack of services, that women are suffering from lack of healthcare, etc. However, there is no constitutional right for a private business (for profit or not) or a non-governmental organization to receive federal funds for anything, including health care, and there is no federal law requiring Congress to fund PP. Furthermore, women can obtain health care services at any number of other locations. The administration will appeal the district court ruling, and the issue may well wind up in the Supreme Court (again).

A single federal district court typically cannot issue a ruling that applies to the entire nation. While district courts have nationwide jurisdiction in certain specialized areas like international trade and federal contract disputes, their general jurisdiction is limited to their specific geographic district. The Supreme Court has already addressed this issue, but, of course, judges with a political agenda will continue to make rulings and force appeals to the Supreme Court until the Court decides to stop this tactic and immediately reverse such an order so the delaying process does not work.

Knowing that, one can anticipate that the strategy by PP and their political supporters is to create a political stink about how women are suffering without health care and how cruel, etc… And, we must notice that the law (when it finally is fully activated) will expire July 4, 2026. We cannot see clearly the long term political strategy, but we know that it was necessary to make substantial compromises in the president’s agenda in order to get the OBBB passed and the tax provisions into law. This was needed to stimulate the economy and build approval of the administration’s policies so it can maintain a political majority and enact other measures. It is already being discussed that there will be other reconciliation bills before Congress, and we can hope that one of these will include a permanent rescission of funding to facilities that perform abortions.

However, we must continue our activism with undiminished enthusiasm and determination. We can be sure that our adversaries on this issue are hard at work generating much acrimony and legal turmoil. They want to limit the “damage” by Trump and wait it out until he is no longer president. It is a cycle we have seen again and again. So, let us fight for the hearts and minds so women will know the truth and reject abortion. Let us support with tenacity those who respect the life and dignity of all persons from conception. There is much work to do, and we must not fall short.