The defunding of Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers has begun.
With the green light from two federal courts, the Trump administration this week officially began enforcing a new rule that could result in Planned Parenthood losing up to $60 million in annual funds from Title X, a family-planning program, The Hill reported.
The Department of Health and Human Services told The Hill the rule would take effect immediately following a Thursday decision from an 11-judge panel from the U.S. Ninth Circuit of Appeals, which refused to block the rule while a lawsuit proceeds. Earlier, a three-judge Ninth Circuit panel also said it could go into effect.
The new HHS rule prohibits Title X funds from being used to “perform, promote, refer for, or support abortion as a method of family planning.” It also requires Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers to financially and physically separate their abortion services from their non-abortion services.
Planned Parenthood said it would pull money from an emergency fund to make up for the shortage, The Hill reported. It previously said it would not follow the new rule.
“While we are incredibly concerned by this harmful rule, our doors are still open,” said Planned Parenthood President Leana Wen.
Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers call it the “gag rule.”
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