Texas has stood its ground against the Obama administration and has cut off approximately $38 million dollars in funding to Planned Parenthood through the Medicaid Women’s Health Program. Texas intended to continue to run the program, but route the federal and state funding to organizations that do not commit abortion.

In its latest assault on women’s health, the Obama administration denied Texas’ request and said it would not fund the program if Planned Parenthood is denied funding. Governor Rick Perry said the administration’s move was politically motivated and that Obama was holding women’s healthcare hostage because of Texas’ pro-life policies.

The governor’s office sent a letter on January 4 to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius telling her that “the federal government should not be in the business of protecting abortion providers at the expense of the health of Texas women.”

Planned Parenthood of West Texas announced that it will be closing its Odessa abortion facility on March 9 because of the funding loss, even though it was purported to be the busiest of the four Planned Parenthood facilities in the West Texas area. Planned Parenthood of West Texas CEO Karen Pieper said because of the loss of federal funding it could not afford to keep the facility open.

We look for the closure of many more Texas Planned Parenthood facilities in the wake of the defunding.

The Dallas Catholic Pro-Life Committee head, Karen Garnett, was interviewed on three Dallas television stations about the defunding. She applauded the legislature for pulling the funding from Planned Parenthood, and rightfully called PP the “mother of the abortion industry,” saying that “taxpayer dollars do not need to be going to any organization that is in the business of killing children.” You can view the interview here.

Congratulations to Governor Rick Perry and all the Texas pro-life advocates who have stood tall in opposition to funding Planned Parenthood.