Federal judge blocks Trump cuts to Planned Parenthood teen pregnancy program

A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from cutting short grants awarded to Planned Parenthood through a federal teen pregnancy prevention program. 

U.S. District Judge Thomas Rice on Tuesday issued a permanent injunction preventing the administration from ending the grants two years earlier than originally planned, saying that doing so would cause public harm.

“The Court determines that the public interest weighs in favor of Plaintiffs, as it would prevent harm to the community … and prevent loss of data regarding the effectiveness of teen pregnancy prevention,” Rice wrote. 

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Planned Parenthood sued the administration after it ended Teen Pregnancy Prevention grants for 81 organizations across the country last summer.

The grants were originally supposed to run through 2020, but the administration said the grants would end in 2018 instead, arguing that the program was ineffective.

The program, created under former President Obama, funded organizations working to cut teen pregnancy rates and mostly focused on comprehensive sex ed, which can include contraception and abstinence teachings.

The changes were led by Valerie Huber, an official with the Department of Health and Human Services who worked for an abstinence education advocacy group before joining the administration.

The ruling means the administration will have to continue its agreement with Planned Parenthood and process its applications for the fourth year of the program.

“The courts confirmed that the Trump-Pence administration’s attempt to impose its ideological agenda on young people is unlawful,” said Dawn Laguens, executive vice president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

“Planned Parenthood applauds the court’s decision and is proud to continue to serve Americans in the TPPP, along with our partners.”

A federal judge also ruled in favor of other grantees last week.