Judge Blocks Limits on Abortion Counseling

A judge on Thursday blocked a Bush Administration plan that permits only doctors, and not nurses, to give abortion counseling at federally subsidized family planning clinics.

U.S. District Judge Charles Richey declared that the Administration’s approach is tantamount to amending a 1988 federal regulation and must therefore go through a period of public comment before it can take effect.

Michael Astrue, general counsel at the Department of Health and Human Services, said the agency would refrain from enforcing the policy for now but that the Administration would likely take the case to the U.S. Court of Appeals.