Trump Reverses Obama Era Rule Stopping State-Level Planned Parenthood Defunding
President Donald Trump has signed a bill into law that overturns an Obama era rule prohibiting states from defunding from abortion providers like Planned Parenthood.
Late into his second term, President Barack Obama had the Health and Human Services Department finalize a regulation stopping states from withholding federal Title X family-planning funds from abortion providers.
President Trump signed the measure revoking the rule, thus allowing for states to deprive funding from entities like Planned Parenthood.
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"Republicans used the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to roll back the regulation, which former President Obama signed during his final months in office," reported The Hill.
"Obama's rule required that state and local governments distribute federal Title X funding for services related to contraception, fertility, pregnancy care and cervical cancer screenings to health providers, regardless of whether they also perform abortions."
In January, not long after Donald Trump became president, Republican Congresswoman Diane Black of Tennessee introduced Joint Resolution 43, which sought to undo the Obama rule that critics labeled a "gift to Planned Parenthood."
"Congress disapproves the rule submitted by the Secretary of Health and Human Services relating to compliance with title X requirements by project recipients in selecting subrecipients (81 Fed. Reg. 91852; December 19, 2016), and such rule shall have no force or effect," read H.J. 43.
Late last month, HJ 43 passed the Senate when Vice President Mike Pence cast the tiebreaking vote after two Republican members joined all Democrats in opposing the measure.
"Pence and Republican Sen. Johnny Isakson, who is recovering from back surgery and used a walker inside the chamber, were dramatically summoned to the Capitol to help pass the measure by a razor-thin margin," reported Politico in March.
"Using the Congressional Review Act, the measure will repeal the final rule proposed by the Obama administration in late December that bans states from blocking Title X family planning grants to Planned Parenthood and other health care providers that offer abortion. Title X funding covers services such as contraception, STD screenings and treatments but cannot be used to pay for abortion services."
Pro-life groups and leaders like American Life League Executive Director Jim Sedlak celebrated the news of Trump's signing the revocation measure.
"This law will undo an Obama era regulation and return to states the ability to withhold Title X money from Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers," said Sedlak in a statement emailed to supporters on Thursday.
"The passage of this law and its signing by the president demonstrate a real changing of the guard in DC. We look forward to many more victories for the babies."
