A group of lawmakers this week approved a bill that would limit funding to global health programs that perform abortions. Federal funds would only be allocated to voluntary family planning projects that offer or provide referrals to those with a "broad range of family planning methods and services."
The U.S. House Appropriations Committee approved the legislation Wednesday. A House vote has not been scheduled.
"(These measures are) critical to protecting the conscience rights of pro-life taxpayers and also advance a pro-life human rights agenda," said Mallory Quigley, communications director for Susan B. Anthony List.
The bill contains two pro-life choices, which are not currently in law:
•The Mexico City Policy draws a distinct separation between abortion and family planning. It only funds foreign nongovernmental organizations that do not promote of perform abortions. The policy was in effect under presidents George W. Bush, George W.H. Bush and Ronald Reagan. President Obama rescinded it.
•De-funding the United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA). The organization has a history of working with the Chinese Population Control Program.
"Under President Obama, we have sent nearly 200 million U.S. taxpayer dollars per year to the UNFPA, which is linked to China's coercive One-Child policy," Quigley told CitizenLink. "This makes us complicit in the deaths of unborn children and the brutalization of women and even sabotages the efforts of human rights activists fighting to end this horrible policy. Women in China and around the world deserve better from us."
By Bethany Monk (CitizenLink.com)
