Federal Judge in Austin Orders Texas to Continue to Fund Planned Parenthood
04/30/2012 AUSTIN, TX -- Today a federal district court in Austin ordered Texas to continue to fund Planned Parenthood under the Medicaid Women's Health Program using federal and state tax dollars.
Under a rule adopted by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission as required by Senate Bill 7, passed last summer by the Legislature, Planned Parenthood would be ineligible to be a WHP provider beginning May 1. Today's ruling by Judge Lee Yeakel prevents that rule from going into effect, at least for now.
Joe Pojman, Ph.D., executive director of Texas Alliance for Life, gave the following statement:
We are very saddened that the federal court in Austin ruled today in favor of Planned Parenthood and the will of the Obama Administration and against the taxpayers of Texas. Planned Parenthood runs the largest chain of abortion facilities in our state, and they the mix Women's Health Program and abortions under the same roof at many of those abortion facilities. For example that is the case in Bryan, Dallas, Houston, and Waco. Governor Perry and the Legislature have every right to prevent Planned Parenthood from promoting abortion as a method of family planning with tax dollars.
We believe that today's setback will be temporary and that the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals will recognize the constitutionality of Texas law.
Of the some 2,500 Women's Health Program providers, 98% have nothing to do with Planned Parenthood and abortion. Planned Parenthood, which has no mammogram machines, provides shabby care for low-income women. Planned Parenthood is unable or unwilling to offer comprehensive primary and preventative care, which low-income women deserve. A woman will not see a doctor at Planned Parenthood unless she is there for an abortion. The State ordered Planned Parenthood San Antonio to return thousands of WHP funds in 2009 because Planned Parenthood had been illegally operating unlicensed abortion facilities at the same sites where they providing WHP services.
