"We are not going to lay down without a fight," said Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove. She and other lawmakers and public health officials are vowing to battle any attempt to "defund" Planned Parenthood health centers across the country.
The newly-signed law restricts federal funding for clinics that provide abortion services beyond cases of rape, incest, or medical necessity.
Planned Parenthood Federation of America filed a lawsuit challenging the law. A federal judge granted a temporary restraining order blocking the cuts, but the order expired on July 21.
On Monday, a judge issued a partial injunction in the case, but it does not apply to Los Angeles clinics, Planned Parenthood said. Instead, it only applies to Planned Parenthoods that cannot provide abortions because of state abortion bans, or that received less than $800,000 in Medicaid reimbursements in 2023.
"They put a pernicious, dangerous provision in this reconciliation bill that would prohibit Medicaid funds from going to Planned Parenthoods," said Kamlager-Dove.
But, the ramifications extend far beyond that. Planned Parenthood clinics offer numerous life-sustaining and life-saving services like STD treatment and prevention, cancer screenings, and family planning.
"You go into pregnancies healthy because they've had access to important prevention and prenatal services," said L.A. County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell.
Medi-Cal patient Neda Ashtari says she relies on Planned Parenthood to provide birth control and regular pap smears. She says her mother died from cancer because she couldn't get access to screening.
"I was doing what my mom never had a chance to do. And I was taking control of my health before I had to fight for my life. Attempts to defund Planned Parenthood take away care from people like me," said Ashtari.
"Everyone should be angry. Everyone should be making calls and insisting that this never happens again," said Jodi Hicks, President & CEO of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California.
Planned Parenthood LA (PPLA) says despite what happens, they will continue to see patients.
"Here in Los Angeles, here across California, Planned Parenthood doors stay open and we remain completely available to Medicaid patients," said Sue Dunlap, PPLA President & CEO
Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said L.A. County partners with Planned Parenthood at 30 local schools to help provide reproductive health education.
If the funding ends this week, medical services will continue to be provided. The question is for how long.
Dunlap issued the following statement about the judge's decision:
"The court's decision today may allow the Trump Administration to move forward with their cruel, politically motivated plan to defund Planned Parenthood health centers, at least for now, in states like California where abortion is legal.
Anti-abortion politicians haven't been able to ban abortion nationwide, and so they are trying to force us to close our doors. But we're not backing down and we're not giving up.
At Planned Parenthood Los Angeles, we provide more than 260,000 patient visits every year for birth control, cancer screenings, STI testing, abortion and more. While we continue to fight for our patients in court, we will also continue to provide them with care. My message to Planned Parenthood Los Angeles patients is clear: Our doors remain open."