Federal judge tosses lawsuit challenging new Title X grant rules
A U.S. District Court in Pennsylvania dismissed a case filed by pro-abortion groups that argued new grant criteria would bar them from Title X funding.
Pro-abortion organizations, including the National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association and the Family Health Council of Central Pennsylvania, sued the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services after it issued a notice barring grant recipients that use abortion for family planning from receiving Title X funds beginning fiscal year 2027. The American Civil Liberties Union represented the groups, arguing the new requirements would disadvantage their clinics and subvert Congress’s intent for the program.
U.S. District Judge Jennifer Wilson, a Trump-appointed judge, dismissed the case as moot, noting that competitive grant criteria inevitably favor some applicants over others and do not constitute a specific injury. She granted the government’s motion to dismiss without prejudice, meaning the plaintiffs could bring the claim again. The decision leaves the contested funding rule in place for now.
Why it matters
The ruling leaves new Title X funding restrictions intact, affecting how reproductive health services are financed nationwide.
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