9th Circuit upholds rule on life-affirming health funding reforms

The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Legal Counsel Denise Harle regarding a unanimous U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ruling that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ final version of the Protect Life Rule, a rule to reform the Title X funding program, is “reasonable” and may immediately go into effect:

“Americans’ hard-earned tax dollars should never be used to fund abortion, shield child abusers, or force medical professionals to violate their convictions by participating in the end of human life. Today, the 9th Circuit unanimously upheld the Trump administration’s rule as ‘reasonable’ and accurately applied the Supreme Court’s precedent by deciding that this rule may immediately go into effect. This commonsense ruling simply allows HHS to ensure greater compliance with current federal and state laws, safeguard vulnerable and abused women and children, and help protect freedom of conscience for health care workers. The Protect Life Rule will prevent organizations like the nation’s largest abortion business, Planned Parenthood, from funding their abortion activities through the Title X program. Planned Parenthood has covered up the sexual abuse of young girls and has been investigated for waste, abuse, and potential fraud. Because of these failures, it doesn’t deserve taxpayer dollars. Today’s ruling is another step toward ensuring greater government program integrity and the protection of every human life, no matter how vulnerable.”

ADF submitted official comments to HHS in support of the Protect Life Rule in July of last year.