President Trump Just Empowered the States to Defund Planned Parenthood

President Donald Trump just moved Planned Parenthood funding to the state level, in essence defunding the abortion giant at the federal level.

The bill allows states to withhold federal money from Planned Parenthood.

PBS reports Trump, signed the measure in private and reversed the Obama administration’s regulation that required state and local governments to distribute federal dollars for family planning services—including contraception, sexually transmitted diseases, fertility, pregnancy care, and breast and cervical cancer screening—to qualified health providers, irrespective of whether the providers also performed abortions, PBS reports.

Planned Parenthood clinics received $20.5 million of the $252.6 million distributed under the so-called Title X Family Planning grant program in the 2014 fiscal year, according to Health and Human Services Department figures.

Christians praised the move as another step in the pro-life direction.

Matt Lockett, executive director of Bound4Life International:

Today, President Trump continued to fulfill important pro-life campaign promises. He has taken back President Obama’s final executive gift to Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry by signing H.J. Res 43. We rejoice over this important piece of legislation that gives power back to the states to say no to taxpayer funding of abortion providers.

Michael Brown, author, “In the Line of Fire” host:

I am pleased to see President Trump keeping his pro-life campaign commitments. From the appointing of Justice Gorsuch to the signing of this bill, the president is doing just what he said he would do when it came to protecting the lives of the unborn, and for that, I am grateful.

Larry Tomczak, cultural commentator:

For over four decades, I have been intentionally and aggressively involved in helping cultivate a culture of life in this nation. As a public policy adviser with Mat Staver and Liberty Counsel, we know a breakthrough is around the corner, and we could see the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the infamous decision legitimizing abortion-on-demand in this nation!

Almost 59,000,000 babies who have been aborted have their blood crying out for this revolutionary turnaround!

It is also time to drive a stake once and for all into the heart of the Planned Parenthood abortuaries and their support with our taxes. Let us not relent until everything is officially set in place and the plug is pulled to never again see one penny of American money underwriting the barbaric practice of dismembering babies in the womb.

We at Intercessors for America call upon all Christians to remain vigilant in prayer at this time.

Jordan Sekulow, ACLJ executive director

In the waning days of his Administration, President Obama issued a regulation that essentially forced States to use Title X family planning dollars to fund abortionists, including Planned Parenthood. Today, by signing H.J. Res. 43 and repealing that regulation, President Trump and Congress have restored a critical component of federalism — that of allowing States maximum flexibility to best use funds allocated to them. This action also makes it clear that abortionists have no constitutional right to federal funding, and that States that opt to direct funds elsewhere are freely permitted to do so.

Zach Drew, director of millennial media and strategy and co-host at TruNews:

One day you know you’re on the right side, but the next day you have your doubts. The world and its issues are always changing, but the verdict is this, whether you love or you hate Donald Trump, I think we can all agree that life itself will always be the most important topic on the table. So, by Trump giving states the “OK” to defund Planned Parenthood, no matter which way you look at this issue, this is a win for America!

This story will be updated throughout today. Please stay tuned! {eoa}