Anti-abortion groups mount effort to strip Planned Parenthood funding ahead of Supreme Court hearing

WASHINGTON(AP)—Majoranti-abortiongroupsweregatheringinthenation’scapitalonThursdaytobeginalobbyingeffortwithCongressandPresidentDonaldTrump’sadministrationaimedateliminatingfundingforPlannedParenthoodaheadoftheSupremeCourthearingacaseinAprilthatcouldstriptheorganization’sfundinginSouthCarolina. Theanti-abortiongroupsaretakingaimatabortionprovidersunderaninitiativecalledDefundPlannedParenthood,whichtargetsfederalMedicaidfundingforthereproductivehealthcareprovider. “ThiseventbeginsanintensiveroundofoutreachtotheGOP,callingonthemtotakeadvantageofthisuniquemomenttodefundtheabortionindustry,”StudentsforLife,thenationalanti-abortiongrouporganizingtheevent,saidinastatement. TheHydeAmendmentalreadyrestrictsgovernmentfundingformostabortions,andlessthan5%oftheservicesPlannedParenthoodprovidesareabortions,accordingtotheorganization’s2023report.PlannedParenthoodalsoprovidesotherformsofreprod