Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum today issued a statement following a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that could allow the Trump Administration’s new Title X “Gag Rule” to go into effect:

“This Gag Rule will devastate the Title X program and fundamentally change the way this important public health program has worked for almost 30 years. The grant funds at the heart of this program are a true safety net for low income women and families in all 36 Oregon counties—and throughout our country—especially our rural and frontier counties. We are extremely disappointed that a motions panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has allowed these drastic and damaging changes to go into effect before a trial could be held and the legality of the Gag Rule could be determined. We are working with the other 20 states and parties involved in this lawsuit to determine our next steps. We are most focused on finding a way to protect the Title X family planning and health care clinics that serve our most vulnerable people while the courts have the opportunity to fully evaluate our case on its merits.”

Title X is the only federal grant program that funds family planning programs to help patient’s access contraception, cancer screenings, exams and other health services. The Trump Administration wants to change the Title X program to place an unlawful restriction, or “gag”, on health care professionals to prohibit them from, in most instances, providing information or referrals for abortion services.

Earlier this year, 21 State Attorneys General, led by Oregon, sued the Trump Administration to stop the rule.

The Oregon Department of Justice (DOJ) is led by Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, and serves as the state’s law firm. The Oregon DOJ advocates for and protects all Oregonians, especially the most vulnerable, such as children and seniors.