Federal funding cuts to Planned Parenthood, a move hailed by conservatives, have cleared a major legislative hurdle. How will this political move reshape public health policy?
At a Glance
- The Senate Parliamentarian has given Republicans the green light to include a provision defunding Planned Parenthood in their major tax-and-spending bill.
- The provision, which would block federal funding, including Medicaid, for one year, can now pass with a simple majority vote.
- Planned Parenthood received nearly $800 million in government funding in the most recent fiscal year.
- Pro-life groups are celebrating the move as a “significant win” after years of advocacy.
A Procedural Victory to Defund Planned Parenthood
In a major victory for pro-life conservatives, the Senate Parliamentarian has ruled that a provision to defund Planned Parenthood can be included in President Trump’s “big, beautiful” reconciliation bill. The crucial ruling from Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough means the measure is protected from a Democratic filibuster and can pass the Senate with a simple 51-vote majority.
🇺🇸BREAKING: SENATE REJECTS PLANNED PARENTHOOD FUNDING GUARANTEE
The Senate narrowly blocked a bid to secure Planned Parenthood funding in the Big Beautiful Bill, voting 48–51.
Republicans Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski sided with Democrats, backing the measure that would have… https://t.co/ivX7Ilcsfa pic.twitter.com/ufdPeiEESQ
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) June 30, 2025
The provision would block all federal funding, including Medicaid reimbursements, from going to Planned Parenthood and its affiliates for one year. Pro-life leaders like Marjorie Dannenfelser of Susan B. Anthony Pro-life America hailed the decision as a “significant win.”
Cutting Off Nearly $800 Million in Taxpayer Funds
The legislative push is aimed at severing the financial ties between the federal government and the nation’s largest abortion provider. According to its own reports, Planned Parenthood received approximately $792.2 million in government funding in the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
Conservatives have long argued that while the Hyde Amendment prevents federal funds from directly paying for most abortions, the massive government reimbursements for other services are fungible and indirectly subsidize the organization’s abortion operations. The new provision seeks to end that relationship entirely.
Democratic Opposition
Democrats have reacted to the news with fury, framing the move as an attack on women’s healthcare. “Defunding Planned Parenthood has been a long-sought goal of Republican anti-choice extremists who want to force women to stay pregnant no matter their circumstances and rip birth control off the shelves,” Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) said in a statement reported by Yahoo News. “Today, they are one step closer to this dystopian vision.”
An amendment to strip the defunding provision from the larger bill, supported by Democrats and two moderate Republicans—Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine—was defeated. As reported by Fox News, the failure of that amendment now clears the path for the GOP majority to pass the measure. The move comes just days after a (fictional) Supreme Court ruling that gave states more authority to block Planned Parenthood from their own Medicaid programs.
