Obama Finalizes Rule Which Prohibits States From Defunding Planned Parenthood

An eleventh hour ruling approved today again shows the current administration’s disregard for unborn life.

Thankfully, President Barack Obama is on his way out, but that doesn’t mean he will exit quietly. The same president who asked God to “bless Planned Parenthood” is now prohibiting states from defunding the abortion industry giant.

LifeNews reports:

The finalized rule from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) prevents states from blocking Title X funding (federal dollars for family planning services) to abortion companies like Planned Parenthood.

Here’s an example of how Obama’s rule would prevent states from revoking taxpayer funding for the abortion company Planned Parenthood.

Under current state law, the state of Tennessee doles out Title X funding provided by HHS to county health departments, who then determine appropriate sub-grantees. All 95 counties have identified community health centers and other providers aside from Planned Parenthood who meet all Title X eligibility criteria to receive this funding, effectively cutting off Planned Parenthood’s access to Title X funds in the state of Tennessee.

The final rule from HHS cites other examples of states such as Florida and Texas enacting or attempting to enact similar measures. The rule would attempt to undermine such state laws, explaining that it “precludes project recipients [states] from using criteria in their selection of subrecipients that are unrelated to the ability to deliver services to program beneficiaries in an effective manner.”

According to the press release from the Department of Health & Human Services, the new regulation takes effect on January 18, 2017, mere days before President-elect Donald Trump will be sworn in. Members of the Republican-controlled Congress, as well as the new president, must hit the ground running and see that progress is made on taking care of this and many other issues.

Representative Diane Black, a Republican from Tennessee, was quick to react to both Obama’s ruling and the incoming administration’s chance to essentially overturn it.

“President Obama knows that hope is rising for the innocent victims of Planned Parenthood’s brutality and the big abortion industry’s days of taxpayer-funded windfalls are numbered.

“Come next year, our pro-life majorities in Congress will be positioned to work with President-Elect Trump and pro-life nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services, Dr. Tom Price, to not only roll back this latest overreach but also to enact new legal protections for these most vulnerable members of our society. The Obama Administration will not have the last word.”

It’s a relief to know that President Obama will no longer be in office. As the new administration comes in, there is renewed hope that unborn life will be respected and protected by those in D.C.

Pro-lifers will be looking to see if President-elect Trump’s stance on the issue of abortion, which has wavered over the years, has actually solidified into a dependable pro-life one. However, we can’t and won’t know for certain until he assumes office.

For now, the sun is setting on President Obama’s ability to speak with authority on unborn life in America, and that is a good thing.

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