A First Circuit panel has unanimously VACATED a federal judge’s order that blocked the Trump Administration from defunding Planned Parenthood under the One Big Beautiful Bill.
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In July, Talwani ruled that the provision amounted to a bill of attainder designed to punish Planned Parenthood for providing abortion services.
A bill of attainder is a legislative act prohibited by the Constitution that imposes punishment on a person or group without a judicial trial.
U.S. Circuit Judge Gustavo Gelpi, writing for a three judge panel appointed by former President Joe Biden, rejected that conclusion.
“The law simply does not impose ‘punishment’ as the term has been historically understood,” Gelpi wrote.
“It instead uses Congress’ taxing and spending power to put appellees to a difficult choice: give up federal Medicaid funds and continue to provide abortion services or continue receiving such funds by abandoning the provision of abortion services,” he added.
The Trump administration argued on appeal that Congress acted lawfully in restricting Medicaid funding for abortion providers following the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision overturning the nationwide right to abortion.
Talwani had also ruled that the law burdened the First Amendment rights of some Planned Parenthood affiliates that do not provide abortions by limiting their ability to associate with the broader organization.
The appeals court overturned that holding as well, narrowly interpreting the law to apply only to affiliates operating under common corporate control with organizations that perform abortions.