Planned Parenthood Gets Texas Clinic Funding Ban Halted

Planned Parenthood won a state court ruling blocking Texas from cutting off public funds to its clinics that don’t provide abortion services the day after a federal appeals court refused to hear a related dispute.

Judge Amy Clark Meachum in Austin issued a temporary restraining order hours after the organization sued the state yesterday to void a Texas law that cuts off public funding for affiliates of abortion providers. A copy of the order was provided by Planned Parenthood. It couldn’t immediately be independently confirmed in court records.

Planned Parenthood contends Texas violated state law by enacting a regulation that bars the group’s clinics which don’t provide abortion services from participating in the state’s health program for poor women because they are associated with a larger abortion-rights organization.

Court lets Texas pull Planned Parenthood funds

As a result of Thursday’s decision by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Gov. Rick Perry (R) said that state officials will “immediately” begin defunding clinics operated by Planned Parenthood, which does not actually perform any abortions in the state.

More Bad News for Komen: Vice President Biden Will Skip D.C. Event - The Daily Beast

As the Susan G. Komen foundation gears up for its most high-profile event of the year, its Global Race for the Cure in Washington, Vice President Joe Biden will not be hosting a kickoff barbecue for the annual D.C. race, as he and his wife, Jill, have done in previous years.

Meanwhile, U.S. Congressman Mike Honda, who formed a team for the race last year that raised more than $10,000—making him the top fundraiser on Capitol Hill—told The Daily Beast that he will not be participating this year, linking the decision to Komen’s move to cut funds to Planned Parenthood earlier this year amid pressure from Catholic bishops.

More of this, please.  

Awesome Friday for Planned Parenthood, as Texas was once again barred from dropping the organization from the Women’s Health Program.  

(via apsies)

Federal appeals court allows Texas to go forward with new Planned Parenthood law

A federal appeals judge stepped into the fight over the Texas Women’s Health Program on Tuesday, saying he wanted to hear arguments on whether the state should be prevented from enforcing a law that bans Planned Parenthood from participating in the program.

Less than 24 hours after a federal judge in Austin ordered Texas not to enforce a rule banning clinics associated with abortion providers from receiving state funds, Fifth Circuit Appeals Judge Jerry Smith granted Texas an emergency stay lifting the Austin court’s order.

Smith gave attorneys representing the eight Planned Parenthood organizations involved in the suit until 5 p.m. on Tuesday to present their arguments.

(Source: shortformblog)

If you are on FB, more information on Tuesday's SEEING RED RALLY in Austin

If you’re in Houston and want to carpool to Austin tomorrow, let me know.  

(Source: keepyourbsoutofmyuterus)

Laughter for Today: Rick Perry's Official Facebook Page

With comments like: 

“Rick Perry: Master of the uterus” 

and 

“Mr. Perry, as a black woman who is also a single mother, I was wondering if you would consider legislation that would require women to go to a Red Hut during their periods, followed by required cleansing in holy water (preferably from the Euphrates.) as mandated in Leviticus… .”

Enjoy!

Rep. Jessica Farrar Answers Sen. Dan Patrick's Houston Chronicle Op-ED

“Nearly all of the same state legislators who voted to support this rule also voted to cut $27 billion from Texas’ budget, slashing $73 million from family planning programs. But now, Perry and Patrick say they can find another $39 million for the WHP. Unfortunately, to do that they will have to cut other programs to find the money. All while $39 million of our federal tax dollars that should be going to Texas women get moved on to another state.

But Patrick is right on one thing, this is a Republican fight over one provider. A provider that treats 44% of the women who are covered under the WHP.

The truth is Perry and Patrick are blurring the issue that these dollars are being used to fund abortions. That couldn’t be further from the truth. State law already prohibits taxpayer dollars from going to fund abortions. And participating providers that do perform abortions have clinics that are already legally separate entities from those that provide abortion services.”