WASHINGTON (BP) — The First Circuit Court of Appeals decided in favor of the Trump administration Thursday (Sept. 11), allowing a key component of the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” to be enforced.

The massive budget bill, passed by Congress this summer and signed by President Donald Trump on July 4, included a provision removing Medicaid funds from health care providers that provide abortions.

Planned Parenthood sued, claiming that abortion is only one of the services provided by its clinics, some of which do not provide abortions at all. A district court judge issued an injunction of that part of the legislation July 21. That injunction was put on hold in Thursday’s ruling.

Katy Roberts, senior policy manager of the Southern Baptist Convention’s (SBC) Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), said Planned Parenthood’s claim is dubious.

“In its ruling, even the First Circuit cannot help but reveal the inconsistencies in Planned Parenthood’s legal approach,” Roberts said. “Planned Parenthood and its affiliates claim their priority is public health, but their line of logic and deliberately deceptive business practices boast otherwise. It remains a fact that abortion and abortion counseling comprises 96.9% of their pregnancy resolution service provision.”

In its motion for a stay of the injunction, the Justice Department argued that Congress and the president have the power to decide how taxpayer dollars are spent.

“The elected Branches determined that taxpayer funds should not be used to subsidize certain entities that practice abortion – conduct that many Americans find morally abhorrent,” the motion said. “By requiring that such subsidies continue, the district court’s injunctions intrude on both Congress’ Article I authority over federal spending and the Executive’s Article II authority to enforce the law.”

Planned Parenthood claims more than 1 million of its clients will now be unable to use Medicaid insurance at its clinics.

“We will continue to fight this unconstitutional law, even though this court has allowed it to impact patients,” said Planned Parenthood President Alexis McGill Johnson in a statement.

Southern Baptists have long been opposed to government funding of abortion providers.

“The First Circuit’s move reaffirms what Southern Baptists have claimed all along: The federal government has no business bankrolling abortion providers,” Roberts said.

“No matter how hard they try, Planned Parenthood cannot overcome Congress’ constitutional power to direct taxpayer funding away from big abortion providers that operate contrary to the law. Though abortion spending is federally prohibited, these entities still siphon taxpayer dollars to the tune of $700 million annually by using them for other services. In turn, this frees up funding to be spent on abortion. The moral pitfalls of this practice are clear.

“While the litigation will continue, halting the lower court’s injunction represents a refreshing retention of constitutional integrity as well as a moral victory.”

(EDITOR’S NOTE — Laura Erlanson is managing editor of Baptist Press.)