(ReclaimingAmerica.net) – In a new bombshell abortion ruling, the Supreme Court denied Oklahoma’s request to reinstate a $4.5 million federal grant meant for family planning services.
This decision came after the White House withdrew the funding because Oklahoma refused to provide information about abortion options to pregnant patients.
The ruling was a 6-3 decision, with a division within the conservative justices. According to the court’s order, Justices Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas supported Oklahoma.
Legal clashes over state abortion laws and federal funds have been frequent since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
This decision allowed various states led by Republicans to heavily restrict or outright ban abortion.
The six conservative justices were key in the June 2022 decision to roll back nationwide abortion protections.
Under current rules by the Department of Health and Human Services, family planning clinics that receive Title X federal funding cannot use these funds for abortions.
However, they are required to provide information about abortion if a patient asks.
Oklahoma argued that its strict laws, which criminalize aiding or performing abortions, prevent clinics from sticking to these federal requirements.
The state has one of the strictest abortion bans, which allows the procedure only if the mother’s life is in danger.
Oklahoma turned to the Supreme Court after the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed the state’s lawsuit earlier this year.
In an effort to accommodate Oklahoma, the Biden administration proposed that doctors could direct patients to a national hotline for information on abortion, but Oklahoma declined this proposal.
The state is also involved in a lawsuit with other states to reinstate a Trump-era policy that banned Title X recipients from discussing or referring abortions, a ban that Joe Biden overturned in 2021.
The office of the Oklahoma Attorney General expressed disappointment about the Supreme Court’s decision but noted it was exploring other legal avenues.
“While the denial is obviously disappointing, Attorney General [Gentner] Drummond is pleased that three Supreme Court justices were willing to step in and stop the Biden Administration’s lawless overreach at this preliminary juncture,” said press secretary for the attorney general Leslie Berger. “We will be exploring our options moving forward.”
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