Medicaid Abortion Ban Falters Again | Honolulu News

Anti-abortion groups are furious as a key Medicaid funding ban for abortion providers was dropped from the latest Republican budget plan, reigniting tensions after previous setbacks like the failed mail-order abortion pill restrictions. While GOP lawmakers pushed for the defunding measure through special budget procedures, their latest 95-billion-dollar package ignored it entirely, focusing instead on border and defense spending. Advocates like Gavin Oxley claim defunding saves millions, but Planned Parenthood counters that such bans could increase overall federal costs due to clinics’ reliance on Medicaid for non-abortion services. A Capitol Hill rally led by Senator Josh Hawley and student groups pressured lawmakers, handing out failing grades for inaction. Despite legislative stumbles, activists are pivoting—scrutinizing Planned Parenthood’s pandemic relief applications and celebrating the acting AG’s pledge to block mailed abortion drugs, showing this high-stakes battle is far from over. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/15f07bdd05d98976