Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic arose from South Carolina’s decision to exclude Planned Parenthood from the state’s Medicaid program.
Join Council for Life in giving thanks for the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling released this past Thursday, June 26, in one of the most pivotal cases of this term— Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic. (See Council for Life News HERE)
By a vote of 6-3 in an opinion written by Justice Neil Gorsuch, SCOTUS made clear that states have the freedom to direct taxpayer dollars away from Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers. (See SCOTUS Medina Slip Opinion HERE)
The decision surrounded a 2018 Executive Order issued by South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster that blocked Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers from receiving taxpayer funds, including any Medicaid expenditures. (See Governor McMaster’s Executive Order HERE)
South Carolina law prevents the use of taxpayer dollars to pay for abortions. Governor McMaster’s position was that “the payment of taxpayer funds to abortion clinics, for any purpose, results in the subsidy of abortion and the denial of the right to life.” South Carolina therefore deemed abortion facilities, including Planned Parenthood, unqualified to receive Medicaid funding.
Throughout a nearly seven-year court battle, appellate judges repeatedly ruled in favor of Planned Parenthood South Atlantic. After initially rejecting South Carolina’s requests to consider the case, SCOTUS relented this term.
CRITICAL TAKEAWAY: The Supreme Court’s ruling means not only South Carolina, but any state, can refuse the dedication of taxpayer dollars to Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers.
Federal Government Also Targeting Defunding of Planned Parenthood
A Pro-Life gathering advocating to Defund Planned Parenthood
equipped with signage provided by Council for Life Beneficiary Live Action
Each year, the abortion industry receives hundreds of millions of Federal taxpayer dollars. According to Planned Parenthood’s 2023-2024 Annual Report entitled “A Force for Hope”, the organization performed more than 400,000 abortions and received nearly $800 Million — more than $2 Million every day — in U.S. taxpayer funding. (See Planned Parenthood 2023-2024 Annual Report HERE or Click on Image Below)
Last month, The U.S. House of Representatives passed budget bill HR 271, the “Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2025”. HR 271 provides for a moratorium on Federal funding to Planned Parenthood and its affiliates and clinics. (See HR 271 HERE)
The provision to stop funding Planned Parenthood is part of the sweeping budget reconciliation package nicknamed the “Big Beautiful Bill”. The U.S. Senate led by Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) is scrambling to vote on the Bill before the July 4th holiday which means the Senate is in session right now over the weekend.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota), at the Capitol yesterday, has set a self imposed deadline of July 4th for the U.S. Senate to vote on
the Big Beautiful Bill. (Photo: Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The Senate version of the Bill would then go to the U.S. House of Representatives. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) told House members “not to leave town” this weekend in case the Senate successfully passes the Bill.
President Donald Trump has been pressing lawmakers to stay on course with the ambitious timeline in order for the legislation to be on his desk for signature by July 4. (See Axios article HERE)
In a June 25th interview this week with Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kansas) asserted the Senate was “going to defund Planned Parenthood” which he described as the biggest pro-life win since the Dobbs decision overturned Roe three years ago.
Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough, a nonpartisan official, plays an extremely important role in the approval process of the Bill. She is reviewing each provision to ensure compliance with the Byrd Rule, which limits reconciliation bills to measures that directly impact Federal spending. (See Economic Policy Innovation Center Byrd Rule Explanation HERE)
Parliamentarian MacDonough has struck several major provisions and could potentially remove the clause defunding Planned Parenthood if deemed ineligible. Her decisions mean certain measures would require 60 votes to pass rather than a simple majority. (See USA Today article HERE and Catholic Vote article HERE)
CRITICAL TAKEAWAY: If approved by Congress, the Defund Planned Parenthood Act would cut off abortion providers from receiving Federal taxpayer dollars for the next 10 years, blocking hundreds of millions of dollars from Planned Parenthood and its affiliates.
Please Pray
Please pray that our nation’s government leaders will vote that our Federal taxpayer dollars cannot be used to fund Planned Parenthood and its deadly destruction of innocent unborn babies and tremendous harm to women.
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