Trump is scheduled to depart for the Mar-a-Lago this evening but, before leaving, he signed a resolution that will allow states to defund Planned Parenthood.
As you may recall, Vice President Mike Pence broke a tie in the Senate last month, allowing the resolution to pass. Trump has now signed it into law.
The resolution overturns a Health and Human Services rule enacted by the Obama administration last year that prevents states from defunding Planned Parenthood or other health providers for any reason other than the provider’s lack of “ability to deliver services to program beneficiaries in an effective manner.”
Now, states can withhold federal family planning grants from providers because they offer abortion, even though the longstanding Hyde Amendment prevents any federal money from being used to pay for abortion.
It's possible not many states will immediately jump at the chance to defund Planned Parenthood given that some legislatures have already concluded their business for the year but, in the event that they do, they could still face tough legal challenges.
The Trump regime may have eliminated the regulation that says states cannot unilaterally defund Planned Parenthood without federal approval from the Department of Health and Human Services, but doing so may still be unconstitutional under the First and Fourteenth Amendments. Several efforts to defund the organization have been ruled unconstitutional in the past and the resolution signed by Trump may also be challenged.
The most recent round of state efforts to defund Planned Parenthood prompted by the baby parts hoax all ended in spectacular failure. The state of Alabama was even ordered to cover the legal costs of those who challenged former Governor Robert Bentley's efforts to defund the organization. As you know, Bentley just resigned and plead guilty for using state resources to cover up an affair.