The United States Supreme Court is reportedly set to review its previous ruling involving three cases that have prevented the funding of health clinics for purposes of abortion during the administration of former President Donald Trump.
As per Christian Headlines, the Supreme Court will look into three abortion cases during Trump's administration that, in turn, might impact federal funding of providers of abortion in the future.
The cases--Oregon v. Cochran, Cochran v. Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, and American Medical Association v. Cochran--involved a ruling from the Department of Health and Human Services that blocked the use of Title X funds from going to clinics who "perform, promote, refer for, or support abortion as a method of family planning." The ruling also required the separation of abortion services from non-abortion services.
Christian Headlines said this prompted Planned Parenthood to leave the program and file a case against the federal government together with other groups. Planned Parenthood normally receives $60 million from Title X each year or a total of more than $500 million annually in government reimbursements and grants. In 2018 alone, it hit a $1.6 billion total revenue.
The case they filed, however, created a division among federal circuits since the 9th Circuit went against it while the 4th Circuit agreed with it. With news of President Biden intending to restore Title X funding to health clinics, it is deemed hopeful for Planned Parenthood and others like it.
Christian Headlines said that a Supreme Court decision favoring the Trump rule could provide a future president to repeat what Trump did in defunding the clinics for abortion purposes.
Last January 28, Biden signed "Memorandum on Protecting Women's Health at Home and Abroad" that revoked the Mexico City Policy and instructed the review of the Title X ruling of 2019 by the Secretary of Health and Human Services and recommended "whether to suspend, revise, or rescind, or publish for notice and comment proposed rules suspending, revising, or rescinding" since it has put, per Biden's order, "women's health at risk."
"The Title X Rule has caused the termination of Federal family planning funding for many women's healthcare providers and puts women's health at risk by making it harder for women to receive complete medical information," Biden said in the memorandum.
"It is the policy of my Administration to support women's and girls' sexual and reproductive health and rights in the United States, as well as globally," he stressed.
According to the Fact Sheet "President Biden to Sign Executive Orders Strengthening Americans' Access to Quality, Affordable Health Care" on the Memorandum released also on January 28, the Memorandum is meant "to protect and expand access to comprehensive reproductive health care."
"The memorandum reflects the policy of the Biden-Harris Administration to support women's and girls' sexual and reproductive health and rights in the United States, as well as globally," the Fact Sheet stated.
"Like memoranda issued by President Clinton and President Obama before him, it immediately rescinds the global gag rule, also referred to as the Mexico City Policy, which bars international non-profits that provide abortion counseling or referrals from receiving U.S. funding," it added.
