Mexico City 1984: World Population Conference

One of McHugh's alleged contributions to this and subsequent U.N. Conferences on population, environment, health and women's issues was the incorporation of the wording of the infamous Dingell Amendment as an anti-abortion provision to various United Nations documents.

Why Vatican officials would even consider, much less adopt, a failed strategy that has become a virtual death sentence for so many American pre-born children is unclear. We do know however that McHugh was successful in selling that strategy to both the Holy See and the International Pro-Life Movement in Mexico City and again at the U.N. 1994 World Population Conference in Cairo.

It should be recalled that at the conclusion of the Mexico City Conference, the anti-abortion forces, including the Vatican, former Senator James L. Buckley who headed the U.S. delegation, and all the international pro-life leaders declared "a victory" when the Final Document of the Conference included language stating that appropriate steps would be taken "to help women avoid abortion, which in no case should be promoted as a method of family planning."

This wording was virtually identical to that of the original and disastrous Dingell Amendment (written by McHugh) to the Family Planning Services and Population Research Act of 1970, which resulted in the slaughter of millions of pre-born children in the United States.

A victory indeed! But not for the Pro-Life Movement!

Further, the emergence of the so-called Mexico City Policy of prohibiting funds for abortion "as a method of family planning," was taken as a demonstration of the Reagan Administration's pro-life commitment.

No one, least of all Bishop McHugh, seemed to take notice of the fact that the Reagan Administration was spending $237 million on family planning programs in 80 countries, up from $190 million in 1981. This constituted 40 percent of all funds being devoted that year to family planning (read abortifacients) throughout the world, making the United States the world's leader in population control. ⁽⁴⁷⁾

Nor did the Vatican or any of the pro-life delegates to the Mexico Conference take notice of the fact that since President Ronald Reagan took office in 1981, his administration spent more than $1.6 billion on foreign population programs, which was equal to the entire amount spent by the four preceding administrations since the U.S. Agency for International Development in the State Department began its population control programs in 1965!!! ⁽⁴⁸⁾

Herod's Helpers -- Daily Catholic (Michigan) excoriating Dingell.

But "Right to Life" (who cheered Bush's "compromise" on ESCR) has this bit of history

History
Title X was passed into law by Congress in 1970. The clear and express purpose of Title X was to provide pre-pregnancy services. The authorizing language of the original Title X law includes the following language of section 1008: "None of the funds appropriated under this title shall be used in programs where abortion is a method of family planning."
Michigan congressman John Dingell was the author of section 1008 in 1970. During discussion of Title X on the House floor, Rep. Dingell made the following statements: "With the 'prohibition of abortion' amendment - Title X, section 1008 - the committee members clearly intend that abortion is not to be encouraged or promoted in any way through this legislation. Programs which include abortion as a method of family planning are not eligible for funds allocated through this act." "If there is any direct relationship between family planning and abortion, it would be this, that properly operating family planning programs should reduce the incidence of abortion." Congressional Record 37375 (1970)

(Note: subjunctive case, popular with Title X population control proponents such as George H. Bush "If population control is anything, it is a health-care mechanism.")

House Rejects Abortions at U.S. Military Bases. On September 25, 2001, the U.S. House of Representatives again defeated a pro-abortion amendment to the military spending appropriations bill that would have allowed abortions at U.S. military bases. The House voted 217-199 to reject the amendment, sponsored by pro-abortion Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-CA).
Those from Michigan casting a prolife vote included: James Barcia, David Camp, Vern Ehlers, Peter Hoekstra, Dale Kildee, Joseph Knollenburg, Mike Rogers, Nick Smith, Bart Stupak, and Fred Upton. Those from Michigan casting a pro-abortion vote included: David Bonior, John Dingell, Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, Sander Levin, and Lynn Rivers. U.S. House Representative John Conyers did not vote.

RTL News

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