Planned Parenthood sued the White House after the pausing of Medicaid cuts directed at reproductive health care centers included in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act (BBB).” The organization requested injunction over the provision in a lawsuit filed through the Federal District Court in Massachusetts, which was granted on Monday by Judge Indira Talwani for two weeks.
A provision of the BBB, signed into law by President Trump on July 4, specifically enacts a one-year ban on funding to “prohibited entities… primarily engaged in family planning services, reproductive health, and related medical care; and provides for abortions…” This is known as the “Defund Provision.”
According to The Hill, “The law will primarily affect Planned Parenthood clinics in blue states with large numbers of Medicaid beneficiaries where abortion is still legal.”
Planned Parenthood claimed the provision is “unfavorable” in its lawsuit.
“The Defund Provision is a naked attempt to leverage the government’s spending power to attack and penalize Planned Parenthood and impermissibly single it out for unfavorable treatment,” the organization said.
The White House has yet to respond to the suit of Planned Parenthood, or make a remark on the injunction. Judge Talwani ordered the defendants – officials in the Department of Health and Human Services, including Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – to respond.
“Within 72 hours of such service, Defendants shall provide a copy of this Temporary Restraining Order to all personnel within the Department of Health and Human Services and all state agencies involved with the disbursement of Medicaid funding,” Talwani said.
