In a significant pro-life victory, Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion business, has voluntarily dismissed its lawsuit challenging a key defunding provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that revokes its taxpayer funding.
The dismissal, filed quietly on Friday, comes after a federal appeals court ruling that allows the Trump administration to continue withholding Medicaid reimbursements from abortion companies.
“The goal of this lawsuit has always been to help Planned Parenthood patients get the care they deserve from their trusted provider,” Planned Parenthood said in a statement. “Based on the 1st Circuit’s decision, it is clear that this lawsuit is no longer the best way to accomplish that goal.”
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As LifeNews reported, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit lifted a preliminary injunction in the case of State of California et al. v. Department of Health and Human Services, enabling the defunding to proceed as litigation continues.
This decision follows similar rulings in appeals courts favoring Congress and President Donald Trump’s ability to defund the nation’s biggest abortion business.
The One Big Beautiful Bill, signed into law by Trump on July 4, includes provisions that halt the use of taxpayer dollars to subsidize the abortion industry for one year, affecting nearly 600 Planned Parenthood clinics in 48 states.
The bill passed narrowly in Congress after a strong show of resolve from pro-life lawmakers.
Planned Parenthood reported that roughly 50 of its locations have been forced to close since the Medicaid restriction took effect last summer, with about half of its patients relying on Medicaid to cover elective abortion services.
Other related lawsuits have faced setbacks. A suit filed by more than 20 Democrat-led states and the District of Columbia received a blow from the same appeals court, which sided with the Trump administration.
Another case, brought by a Maine network of abortion centers, was also voluntarily dismissed.
California vowed to persist in its efforts. “Although we are disappointed in the court’s decision, we remain committed to holding the federal administration accountable and ensuring vulnerable Californians can access the health care they need,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office said in a statement.
Pro-life groups hailed the appeals court ruling as a step toward protecting taxpayers from funding abortions.
“This ruling is an important reminder that the federal government has both the authority and the responsibility to ensure taxpayer dollars are not used to subsidize elective abortion,” said Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life. “The First Circuit correctly recognized that HHS is likely to prevail on the merits. Americans overwhelmingly oppose being forced to fund abortion, and this decision helps restore accountability and respect for long-standing federal law.”
