In "Victory for Patients and Doctors," Federal Judge Says He Will Block Trump's "Arrogant" Gag Rule Gutting Title X Funding

A federal judge in Oregon issued a rebuke Tuesday night of the Trump administration's new Title X rule, banning government funds from going to Planned Parenthood clinics and other healthcate providers that subsidize reproductive healthcare for low-income Americans. (Photo: Charlotte Cooper/flickr/cc)

In "Victory for Patients and Doctors," Federal Judge Says He Will Block Trump's "Arrogant" Gag Rule Gutting Title X Funding

"At the heart of these rules is an arrogant assumption that the government is better suited to direct women's healthcare than their providers."

A federal judge on Tuesday night ruled that he would block President Donald Trump's proposed rule gutting the Title X healthcare funding program, which would limit and control the healthcare that's available to American women.

Judge Michael McShane of the U.S. District Court of Oregon called Trump's proposed rule, which was set to go into effect May 3, "a ham-fisted approach to public health policy."

McShane's decision to issue a preliminary injunction against the rule came in response to two lawsuits filed by Planned Parenthood, the American Medical Association (AMA), and a coalition of 20 states.

Women's rights advocates were outraged in February when the administration announced the rule, which would strip tens of millions of dollars from the Title X program. Title X provides federal funding to Planned Parenthood and other clinics which provide abortion care, to subsidize reproductive healthcare for low-income Americans.

The "gag rule" would also ban Planned Parenthood and any healthcare provider which accepts federal dollars from counseling women on abortion care and making referrals for abortions.

"At the heart of these rules is an arrogant assumption that the government is better suited to direct women's healthcare than their providers," the judge said in his ruling.

On Wednesday, Planned Parenthood declared McShane's temporary injunction "a victory for patients and doctors," but warned that the fight against the Title X attack--and Trump's broader assault on reproductive rights--is not over.

"This relief is preliminary and we will continue to fight the Trump-Pence administration in court and in Congress to ensure our patients' health," said Leana Wen, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

"We are pleased the judge shared the AMA's concern about the physician-patient relationship that the rule would have jeopardized," Barbara McAneny, president of the AMA, said in a statement.

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