Black Community News News and Commentary for Christians
The liberal U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled in favor of a new U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regulation that redirects family planning funds from clinics that kill unborn babies.
Outgoing Planned Parenthood president Leana Wen said said the new rule was a dangerous one “that allows the government to censor our doctors and nurses from doing their jobs.”
HHS finalized the rule in February.
Taxpayer-supported family planning clinics must maintain separate finances and separate facilities from abortion clinics. Clinics may counsel on abortion, but they’re no longer required to do so.
The governor of one state decided he won’t comply with the rule and will forgo millions in federal family-planning funds. From Christian Headlines:
Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker announced Thursday the state would not abide by the new rule and instead would use state money to fund the 28 organizations that received the federal funds distributed through the Illinois Department of Public Health. About $2.4 million in annual funding was at issue.
“Under my administration, Illinois will always stand with women and protect their fundamental right to choose,” Pritzker said.
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Critics like Pritzker call it the “gag rule” because it prevents family planning clinics from discussing abortion with patients. Two federal courts ruled the Trump administration can enforce the rule while lawsuits against it proceed.
State funds, federal funds. Either way, it’s taxpayers’ money. Among the working Americans funding the government are pro-lifers who don’t want their money going anywhere near Planned Parenthood.
Photo credit: American Life League (Creative Commons) – Some Rights Reserved
