Posted on 04/06/2005 11:48:36 AM PDT by Ol' Sparky
Senate Repeals Policy on US Tax Money for Overseas Health Clinics
By Susan Jones CNSNews.com Morning Editor
April 06, 2005
(Editor's note: Pro-life groups had not weighed in on the Senate vote as of press time.)
(CNSNews.com) - In a blow to pro-life Americans, the U.S. Senate voted 52-46 on Tuesday to repeal a Reagan-era policy that blocks U.S. aid from flowing to foreign groups that perform or advocate abortion.
Supporters call it the Mexico City Policy, while critics call it the global gag rule.
The policy, imposed by President Ronald Reagan in 1984, was renewed by President George H.W. Bush, rescinded by President Bill Clinton, and reinstated by President George W. Bush.
"It is my conviction that taxpayer funds should not be used to pay for abortions or advocate or actively promote abortion, either here or abroad," Bush stated when he re-imposed the policy in 2001.
The amendment that passed on Tuesday was attached to a State Department funding bill. It was sponsored by Democrat Barbara Boxer of California and Republican Olympia Snowe of Maine.
Snowe said the policy "infringes on a woman's right to personal, private medical care. This is a question of making sensible medical care available to women."
But conservative Republicans say U.S. taxpayers should not be forced to support the abortion-related services of foreign family planning programs.
Groups that have lobbied against the policy were quick to applaud the U.S. Senate for passing the amendment, and they are now urging the House to go along.
Steven W. Sinding, director-general of the International Planned Parenthood Federation, called the vote a major step in the right direction.
"Women worldwide were watching the U.S. Senate today for reassurance that the United States is on their side in their struggle for health and rights," Sinding said in a statement.
He called the "global gag rule" an "intrusive and outrageous restriction on the free speech of family planning organizations around the world that receive U.S. aid," and he said repealing the policy would help save the lives of millions of women who now die unnecessarily in childbirth or are exposed unnecessarily to the AIDS virus.
The International Planned Parenthood Federation, rather than give up its abortion counseling services, is one of the nongovernmental groups that rejected U.S. funding instead.
Brian Dixon, director of government relations for Population Connection, also applauded the Senate for overturning the policy and ensuring that "America's foreign policy reflects American values."
He said the effects of the policy have been dramatic, as health care providers must choose between "desperately needed funding" and their "responsibilities to provide women with information about all of their legal options."
In Kenya, Dixon said, clinics have closed because of a funding shortage; in Ethiopia, contraceptive supplies in some clinics have run out, leaving thousands of women at risk for an unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease.
"Indeed, rather than preventing abortion, the global gag rule only makes unsafe abortion more likely because it cuts off funding for contraception," Dixon said in a statement.
Dixon said the Senate on Tuesday "stood up for freedom of speech, medical ethics, and the health of women in the poorest countries in the world."
Unfortunately, there are about 20 RINOs in the U.S. Senate.
boy I'll second that with emotion
I just LOVE all the ways my tax money is spent!
There are no words left for how I feel about our entire government lately.
Sorry we must have posted at the same time.
Why is it we now have welfare recipient countries whining at us for not giving enough?
Bump and ping y'all back over here.
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=1&vote=00083
The vote went pretty much along party lines, except for Collins, Smith (R-OR),Snowe (R-ME)Specter (R-PA)Stevens (R-AK)Warner (R-VA)
I'm proud to say that both the Texas Senators voted against the amendment.
And to add: Of course, Jumpin' Jeffords voted with his fellow Dems.
What is it with the Republicans, that we can't elect men and women who will stay together - and vote together?
Our party platform condemns abortion and spending tax money on not only abortion - but on all irresponsible, non-Constitutional matters.
The Republicans who vote with the President did so on this bill, including McCain. Even Senator Hutchison, who receives support from the WISH List voted the way that her constituency would have her vote.
But, Spector, Collins, Warner once again showed that they are not with the President or the leaders of the Senate. Spector needs to be booted off the Justice Committee, much less out of the Chair.
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