New Jersey joined a lawsuit against the Trump administration Tuesday, arguing the new GOP budget bill “unconstitutionally blocks” Medicaid funding from being used for essential medical services at Planned Parenthood health centers.
Attorney General Matt Platkin joined a coalition of 22 states suing over the provision, which they say will unjustly block Americans from receiving cancer screenings, birth control, and STI testing. The provision, included in the Trump-heralded One Big Beautiful Bill Act, would affect 20 health centers across the state and tens of thousands of patients, according to the attorney general’s office.
The U.S. Department of Justice has argued “the bill stops federal subsidies for Big Abortion,” though federal law has largely prohibited federal funds from going toward abortions since the 1970s. A federal judge in Boston, in a separate but related lawsuit, has already blocked the provision from taking effect. The White House has called that ruling “absurd.”
“The Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans’ blocking of Medicaid funding from Planned Parenthood health centers is a direct attack on individuals who rely on accessible, affordable healthcare,” Gov. Phil Murphy said. “This decision strips away essential care—including comprehensive family planning services, cancer screenings, sexually transmitted disease testing, and more—for some of our nation’s most vulnerable populations. In New Jersey, we will continue to fight to ensure all have access to the healthcare services that they need.”
The lawsuit, led by California, was filed in federal court in Massachusetts. The lawsuit argues the provision exceeds Congress’ authority to limit Medicaid spending.
“It’s frankly outrageous that Congress and the Trump Administration have targeted essential reproductive health care services for millions of women as part of their radical anti-reproductive freedom agenda. We will not stand idly by as this Administration recklessly threatens access to lifesaving medical care,” Platkin said. “New Jerseyans rely on Planned Parenthood health centers to receive cancer screenings, STI testing and treatment, birth control, and wellness exams. This unlawful attempt to block federal Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood would make those services much harder to access for many of our state’s low-income residents.”
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law by President Trump earlier this month, is unpopular in the Garden State, according to one poll. A Fairleigh Dickinson University poll found 27% of likely voters in the state approve of the bill, while 61% disapprove. The wide-ranging bill is expected to knock hundreds of thousands of New Jerseyans off of Medicaid or food stamps, though many tax bills will likely go down across the state.
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