Oklahoma: US Supreme Court Allows Federal Government to Withhold Funding Over Abortion Ban
by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – The US Supreme Court has rejected a request by Republican-led Oklahoma to stop the federal government from withholding federal funding over the state’s new ban on abortion, the Washington Times reports.
Titled Oklahoma v. US Department of Health and Human Services, the case arose after the DHHS issued a new rule in 2021 requiring states “to offer abortion counseling and referrals” if they want funding for their health services, the Times reports.
Oklahoma banned abortion except to save the mother’s life after the US Supreme Court in 2022 revoked the federal right to abortion up to viability, returning the issue of abortion to individual states to decide. As Oklahoma does not offer abortion counseling or referrals either, the DHHS has sought to withhold around $4.5 million in federal funding from the state.
Oklahoma filed suit to challenge the DHHS action, but the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against it, the Times reports.
On Tuesday, the US Supreme Court issued a 6-3 bipartisan majority decision also denying Oklahoma’s petition. Conservative Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel A. Alito Jr., and Neil M. Gorsuch dissented.
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