Wikimedia Commons / The White House
Gov. Greg Abbott greets Donald Trump during one of the president's 2019 Texas visits.
The Obama administration stopped funding for the Healthy Texas Women program in 2012, arguing the state legislature's exclusion of Planned Parenthood violated federal law.
In addition to reversing yet another Obama-era decision, the White House's move appears to set the stage for other Republican-controlled states to write abortion providers out of women's health programs.
Healthy Texas Women offers family planning, STD testing and other services to low- and middle-income residents.
"The Lone Star State is once again in partnership with the federal government to provide meaningful family planning and health services while fostering a culture of life," Gov. Greg Abbott said in statement.
However, advocates for women's choice blasted the decision, saying that Texas should strive to expand access to women’s healthcare instead of cutting off family planning options.
The number of abortion clinics in the state has dropped by half since the Legislature enacted controversial restrictions making it harder for them to operate.
"Texas already has the highest uninsured rate in the country," said Brittany Switzer, senior brand director for the Texas Democratic Party. "This decision today by the Trump Administration will make it harder for uninsured women to receive the healthcare access they need. Healthcare is a right and all Texans deserve confidential, affordable, and unrestricted access to a full range of reproductive healthcare services, including abortion. People will die without it."
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