COLUMBIA, S.C. – Governor Henry McMaster released the following statement in response to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision inKerr v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court overturned last year's ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit that blocked South Carolina's actions to prohibit taxpayer funds from going to Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers. The South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) appealed that decision, and yesterday the Supreme Court sent the case back to the Fourth Circuit for reconsideration in light of the Supreme Court's recent opinion in another matter: 

"I am pleased with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision today and look forward to the Fourth Circuit thoughtfully reconsidering its previous ruling," said Governor Henry McMaster. "Just as I was when I issued Executive Order No. 2018-21, I remain confident in South Carolina’s authority to administer its Medicaid program and the decision to terminate Planned Parenthood’s funding. I am hopeful that the Fourth Circuit will recognize that Congress did not intend to give Medicaid recipients the ability to force States to subsidize abortion providers like Planned Parenthood."

Kerr v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic stems from Governor McMaster's 2018 Executive Order that directed DHHS to remove abortion clinics from South Carolina's Medicaid provider list. 

A link to the Supreme Court’s docket is available here.