As a one-year restriction on certain federal Medicaid payments to abortion providers expires on July 4, federal funding is set to resume flowing to organizations that perform abortions, including Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider.

The change has drawn strong reaction from pro-life leaders, including National Right to Life, which says the return of funding allows taxpayer dollars to once again subsidize organizations involved in abortion services.

“The resumption of taxpayer funding for the abortion industry is alarming,” said Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life. She argued that public funds should not support organizations that perform or promote abortion, and said taxpayers should not be compelled to subsidize such services.

The organization said the previous restriction demonstrated Congress has the ability to limit federal funding and called for permanent safeguards to prevent taxpayer dollars from going to abortion providers.

National Right to Life also credited pro-life lawmakers for supporting the temporary restriction and said it will continue working toward permanent limits on federal subsidization of abortion providers.

As the Massachusetts affiliate, MCFL joins NRLC in strong concern over renewed taxpayer funding of abortion providers.

Read NRLC letter here.