A budget reconciliation bill that defunds Planned Parenthood was signed into law on July 4 by President Donald Trump. According to Baptist Press, The legislation will cut off funding to Planned Parenthood and all related entities for a full year.
The bill explicitly lists abortion providers such as Planned Parenthood as prohibited entities that are forbidden from receiving federal payments, including Medicaid reimbursements.
The House passed its version of the bill in late May, and the Senate then approved an amended version on July 2 by a one-vote margin. Out of 53 Senate Republicans, three voted against the legislation, resulting in a 50-50 tie, with Vice President J.D. Vance casting the decisive vote.
The legislation then returned to the House to approve the Senate amendments, which it did on July 3, before being sent to President Trump’s desk.
Brent Leatherwood, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, specifically praised the defunding of Planned Parenthood, stating it was the highest legislative priority for the Southern Baptists and the ERLC.
“Establishing a true culture of life begins with stopping our taxpayer money from funding Planned Parenthood. That’s just what Congress has done,” Leatherwood said in a Thursday press release.
“With both chambers now voting to defund Planned Parenthood for the first time in our nation’s history, this is a truly historic milestone for the sanctity of life. Although this provision is limited to one year, it lays the foundation for future action to prevent any taxpayer funding from being directed to the abortion industry,” he added.
Leatherwood further remarked, “The pro-life movement spent half a century striving to overturn Roe. We will bring that same resolve toward shaping proposals to ensure not a single federal dollar will ever again subsidize the destruction of life.”
