Rogue judge blocks congressional bill defunding Planned Parenthood
A federal judge has blocked a provision of the Big Beautiful Bill passed by Congress and signed by President Trump last week defunding Planned Parenthood.
Federal funding for abortion was already prohibited under the 1976 Hyde Amendment. But Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill further restricts funding by placing a one-year ban on state Medicaid payments to clinics that provide abortions, even if they provide other services. This places roughly 200 Planned Parenthood locations—one-third of its centers—at risk of closure, the organization said.
Planned Parenthood sued the Trump administration, arguing that the new law somehow violates equal protection rights and free speech. Without waiting for the government’s response, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, an Obama appointee, immediately issued a temporary injunction against the provision. According to The Hill, Talwani provided no explanation other than a brief comment that Planned Parenthood had shown “good cause.” The judge will decide whether to grant a longer injunction in two weeks after a hearing.
“We’re grateful that the court acted swiftly to block this unconstitutional law attacking Planned Parenthood providers and patients,” Planned Parenthood said in a statement, warning that no other providers will carry out abortions in their stead.
“Already, in states across the country, providers and health center staff have been forced to turn away patients who use Medicaid to get basic sexual and reproductive health care because President Trump and his backers in Congress passed a law to block them from going to Planned Parenthood. There are no other providers who can fill the gap if the ‘defunding’ of Planned Parenthood is allowed to stand,” the statement continued.
The group has warned that if the provision is allowed to stand, it will prevent Planned Parenthood from offering non-abortion services like cancer screenings and STI testing. However, those services have been dropping dramatically, while the organization has been increasing the number of abortions it carries out. Planned Parenthood performed 392,715 abortions in 2022 alone, approximately 40% of all abortions in the United States. The National Review reported last year that for every adoption referral, Planned Parenthood performs over 228 abortions.
Congress has the power of the purse
The US Supreme Court last week issued a ruling against what Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett called an “imperial judiciary.” However, that decision only blocks district judges from issuing nationwide injunctions. It does not apply to Talwani’s ruling.
“No provision in the United States Constitution states that American taxpayers are obligated to fund Planned Parenthood,” said Kari Lake, Trump’s Senior Advisor for the U.S. Agency for Global Media, in response to Talwani’s injunction. “However, Article I, Section 9, Clause 7 grants Congress the power of the purse. This federal judge should study that sacred document before issuing any further rulings that violate the separation of powers.”
Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL) issued a similar statement.
“An unelected judge has no authority to override the will of 77 MILLION Americans who voted to defund Planned Parenthood,” she said. “Last time I checked, the Constitution gives Congress, not activist judges, the power of the purse. This abuse of power must be stopped.”
