A federal judge is set to hear arguments on whether the federal Health and Human Services should be allowed to cut off funding to Texas' Women's Health Program in a battle over abortion.
Attorneys for federal and state authorities are due in federal court in Waco Friday morning.
Texas has asked Judge Walter Smith to issue a preliminary injunction that would stop federal authorities from pulling Medicaid funding for the state program. About 130,000 low-income women receive services like cancer screenings from the program. It's largely funded by Medicaid dollars.
The state wants to kick Planned Parenthood out of the WHP. Federal officials have sought to pull Medicaid funding in response, but have been stopped by the courts.
Texas wants Smith to extend that ban pending trial.
