Supreme Court Supports Biden's Funding Cut for Oklahoma Family Planning

The U.S. Supreme Court has supported President Biden's administration in cutting $4.5 million in federal funding for Oklahoma's family planning projects. This decision follows Oklahoma's refusal to provide abortion referrals, which is a condition of receiving Title X grants. The case underscores federal versus state control in health policy.

The U.S. Supreme Court supported a significant health policy change on Tuesday, allowing President Joe Biden's administration to cut $4.5 million in federal funding earmarked for family planning projects in Oklahoma. The Republican-led state had ceased to offer referrals to pregnancy counseling services that include abortion information.

In a strong stance, the justices denied Oklahoma's attempt to prevent the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from terminating the funding for 2024, while the state sought to appeal a lower court's decision. This case centers on Oklahoma's refusal to meet the requirements set under the 1970 Public Health Service Act's Title X, which mandates a broad range of family planning options, including abortion referrals as updated by a 2021 federal rule.

Biden's administration pointed out that federal law accommodates those with religious objections to abortion referrals. Nevertheless, after a near-total abortion ban took effect in Oklahoma post the 2022 Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, the state's health department ceased abortion referrals. Rejecting federal alternatives like a national hotline, Oklahoma argued that the funding cut violated constitutional limits. Their plea was declined by the Denver-based 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in July. The Supreme Court's latest decision aligns with Biden's promise to reverse Trump-era policies that restricted abortion referrals under Title X.

(With inputs from agencies.)