Share this: | |

() President Donald Trump’s much-touted “Big, Beautiful Bill” originally included a provision to defund abortion giant Planned Parenthood for a whole decade. By the time the legislation  both chambers of Congress and landed on the president’s desk, however, that provision had been significantly pared down to only one year without Medicaid funding. But that’s still too long for the brand-name abortion industry flagship to go without taxpayer dollars, according to one state governor.

Washington’s Governor Bob Ferguson (D), who was elected to the office last year, announced this week that he intends to make up for soon-to-be missing federal Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood with state funds. “This is a blatantly political, cruel attack on reproductive rights — a common theme within the Trump Administration,” Ferguson said in a statement. He added, “The real victims are Washingtonians who will lose their health care provider. I will not allow that to happen.”

Washington Democrat Governor Bob Ferguson plans to make up for federal Medicaid funding cuts from Planned Parenthood with state funds.

According to the governor’s office, Planned Parenthood abortion sites in Washington receive $22 million annually in Medicaid funding, about half of which comes from the federal government. Ferguson’s proposal to use state funds for Planned Parenthood comes after the governor approved a  that includes the largest tax hike in the state’s history. Nevertheless, Ferguson said, “While we have a very challenging budget in Washington, and cannot backfill every cut in this Big Betrayal Bill, we must step into this temporary gap to ensure women continue to have access to critical health care.”

Mary Szoch, director of the Center for Human Dignity at Family Research Council, told The Washington Stand, “Governor Ferguson’s promise to use Washingtonians’ state taxpayer dollars to make up for Planned Parenthood’s budget gap is a sick misuse of state taxpayer dollars. Planned Parenthood doesn’t offer real health care — they brutally kill unborn babies and sterilize confused and often bullied teenagers with transgender hormones.” She continued, “From its beginning, Planned Parenthood has been a racist organization working to prevent certain groups of people from procreating. Someone should ask Governor Ferguson if that’s the mission he believes Washingtonians’ taxpayer dollars should be used for.” Szoch added, “Regardless, Washingtonians should ensure that Governor Ferguson’s first term as governor is also his last.”

Emily Erin Davis, vice president of communications at Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, said in comments to TWS, “Planned Parenthood rightfully lost its federal funding — but Democrat Governor Bob Ferguson is forcing his own constituents to pick up the tab. The abortion lobby and pro-abortion politicians are determined to make taxpayers bankroll the abortion industry, one way or another.” She explained, “Despite their claims, Planned Parenthood’s focus is abortion, not health care. As their cancer screenings, STI tests, and other services decline, 97% of pregnant women who seek help there are sold an abortion.” Davis asserted, “Washington women deserve better — and they already have it in community health centers, which outnumber Planned Parenthood facilities nine-to-one and provide holistic, comprehensive care to Medicaid recipients.”

According to a 2023 Government Accountability Office (GAO) , Planned Parenthood and its affiliates received $1.54 billion in state and federal Medicaid funding from 2019 to 2021, roughly averaging $513 million annually. Planned Parenthood’s own 2022-2023 report claimed that the abortion behemoth accumulated $792 million in government funds, including Medicaid payments. Since different states provide different portions of Medicaid funding, typically ranging from 25% to 50% (as is the case in Washington), Planned Parenthood could continue receiving anywhere from approximately $120 million to $300 million in state Medicaid funding even after passage of the Big Beautiful Bill.

This article was published by The Washington Stand and is reprinted with permission.