Federal funding for Planned Parenthood resumes after one-year ban expires

Federal Medicaid reimbursements to Planned Parenthood facilities for non-abortion services resumed July 5 after a one-year defunding provision enacted in President Donald Trump’s 2025 “Big Beautiful Bill” expired. The funding resumption prompted sharp criticism from pro-life groups that had urged Republicans to extend the ban.

The temporary ban, signed by Trump on July 4, 2025, prevented Planned Parenthood from receiving roughly $800 million in annual Medicaid reimbursements. The restriction applied only to reimbursements for non-abortion services, such as contraception and testing for sexually transmitted infections, because the Hyde Amendment already generally bars federal funding for most abortions. Pro-life groups argue that those reimbursements still indirectly subsidize abortion providers by helping them sustain broader operations. ---More...

Mamdani’s America 250 address draws sharp Catholic condemnation for Marxist themes

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani delivered a July 3 address for America’s 250th anniversary that framed the nation’s history through a lens of unrelenting oppression, class division, and elite exploitation, prompting strong rebukes from Catholic leaders who said the speech was steeped in Marxist ideology.

Mamdani, seated behind a desk in City Hall that once belonged to George Washington, argued during the roughly 15-minute speech that America is exceptional not because it is “richer, stronger, more powerful than everyone else,” but because “nothing is fixed into place.” He said the work of fulfilling the values enshrined in the Declaration of Independence remains unfinished. ---More...

Maine Democratic Senate nominee reportedly considers dropping out after rape accusation, denies allegation

A Maine woman says Graham Platner, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, forced her to have sex with him against her will nearly five years ago. Platner has denied the rape allegation but is reportedly considering dropping out of his race against Republican Sen. Susan Collins.

Jenny Racicot, 41, told POLITICO in an exclusive set of three interviews over the past two weeks that she had an on-and-off relationship with Platner for more than two years before he entered her rural Maine home uninvited one night in late 2021, deeply intoxicated, and forced himself on her while she repeatedly told him to stop. She said she cut off contact with him after telling him the encounter was not consensual.

“I remember him grabbing my pelvis and being really forceful of me,” Racicot said. “I remember the specific moment where I thought to myself, like, ‘This is no longer my choice.’” ---More...

ARIMATHEA INVESTS FOR ETERNITY

You can help build a more Christ-like world with your finances. Arimathea supports investors, advisors, and institutions seeking alignment between their portfolios and Catholic teaching. Through research, screening, and our network of Arimathea Accredited Advisors, we provide resources designed to support faith-informed investment decisions.

Select your role below to take the next step. ---More...

Trump rings NYSE, Nasdaq opening bells from Oval Office to mark Trump Accounts launch

President Donald Trump formally launched Trump Accounts on July 6 by ringing the opening bells of the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq from the Oval Office, marking the start of a federal savings program that provides eligible American children with investment accounts.

The ceremony came two days after the Treasury Department announced the Trump Accounts app had reached full nationwide functionality, allowing parents to view balances, make contributions, link bank accounts, and access financial education materials from a phone or tablet.

"With the ringing of the opening bell for the stock market, [Trump Accounts] will now begin to grow right along with our booming economy," Trump said. "Between individual contributions and the seed funds, $800 million in new capital will be invested in the stock market for America's children this week." ---More...