A Pro-Life step in the right direction: Texas STOPS Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood

'The gruesome harvesting of baby body parts by Planned Parenthood will not be allowed in Texas...'

Texas barred Planned Parenthood from receiving state Medicaid money on Monday, following allegations of the organizations' controversial fetal tissue sales. Meanwhile, a federal judge in Louisiana blocked the state's efforts to halt funding.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Texas health officials released a letter to Planned Parenthood clinics throughout the state, that stated the organization would no longer receive funding.

Governor Greg Abbott released the following statement regarding the matter:

"The gruesome harvesting of baby body parts by Planned Parenthood will not be allowed in Texas and the barbaric practice must be brought to an end."

Though Planned Parenthood plans to retaliate, it is uncertain whether it would pursue a fight via legal channels.

Since the release of undercover videos depicting Planned Parenthood directors and doctors casually talking about the murder of late-term aborted babies and the selling of fetal organs and tissue, Republican governors have been attempting to cut off all funding for the organization.

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal also attempted to cut funding, but U.S. District Judge John deGravelles signed a temporary restraining order that requires Louisiana to continue Medicaid funding for the next two weeks.

Judge deGravelles said, "In fact, the uncontradicted evidence in the record at this time is that (Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast) does not perform abortions in Louisiana, is not involved in the sale of fetal tissue and none of the conduct in question occurred at the PPGC's two Louisiana facilities."

In its defense, Planned Parenthood claimed defunding targeted necessary medical services like cancer screenings to over 5,200 low-income patients at their New Orleans and Baton Rouge clinics. The organization considered Texas' decision to stop funds "a national scandal."

Executive vice president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Dawn Laguens, stated, "We will fight back against this outrageous, malicious, political attack in Texas with everything we've got, and we will protect women's access to the health care they need and deserve."

Jindal spokesman Mike Reed released the following statement:

"Planned Parenthood is engaging in classic misdirection regarding the millions they have repaid in Medicaid fraud and their own admissions in the baby parts trafficking videos ... Instead of going through the same administrative review as any other Medicaid provider, they are running to the federal courts and asking for special treatment."

In an announcement released earlier this month, Planned Parenthood claimed it would no longer accept reimbursement for fetal tissue donated for research after abortions.

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