Bishops' Spokeswoman Criticizes New Guttmacher Study Calling For Global Promotion of Abortion

Deirdre A. McQuade, an official of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), criticized a study by researchers from the Guttmacher Institute and the World Health Organization published in the October 13, 2007 issue of The Lancet, calling for the global legalization and promotion of abortion, “Induced Abortion: Estimated Rates and Trends Worldwide.”

“Some say the new Guttmacher study shows that legalizing abortions makes them ‘safe;’ but the study's methodology is flawed. The authors start out by simply defining ‘safe’ abortions as ‘those that meet legal requirements' in countries with permissive laws,” said Ms. McQuade. “But by this unusual definition, legal abortions are 'safe' even if they kill women as well as their unborn children. The authors then say that illegal abortions are ‘harmful’ – even when women experience no medical complications – because women have to violate the law. This is a closed semantic circle into which no fact about real-life women can intrude.”

“An accompanying Lancet editorial says the worldwide abortion situation has been worsened by the United States’ Mexico City policy. But the study says that total worldwide abortions substantially decreased from 1995 (when the policy was not in effect) to 2003 (after it was reinstated),” Ms. McQuade continued.

“Lost in the authors’ ideological fog is the fact that abortion always kills; legal or illegal, it sometimes also kills women, especially when they are poor and have a terrible health care system. Promoting more abortions will not change this. Rather than pitting women and their children against each other, we need to stand in solidarity with both and focus on improving the quality of global health care,” Ms. McQuade said.

Urge Congress to Support the Mexico City Policy

The Mexico City Policy (MCP) provides that no U.S. population assistance funds can be given to a nongovernmental organization unless it certifies that it will not perform or actively promote abortion as a method of family planning. The term abortion as a method of family planning does not include abortion to save the mother’s life or in cases of rape or incest. Most international family planning groups agree to the policy. Pro-abortion advocates oppose the MCP because they are determined to spread the practice of abortion to Third World countries. The MCP is an administration policy, first set forth by the Reagan Administration in 1984 at a population conference in Mexico City. The policy was overturned by President Clinton in 1993 but reinstated by President Bush in 2001. Abortion advocates have been conducting a campaign to reverse President Bush's action. In 2003 and 2005 the Senate approved an amendment by Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) to overturn the MCP. The Boxer Amendment never became law.

However, in 2007, the House of Representatives approved an amendment by Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY) to negate the MCP, and the Senate again passed the Boxer Amendment. These amendments were attached to the Fiscal Year 2008 State Department/Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill (H.R. 2764). That bill has passed both House and Senate and awaits action by conference committee to resolve bill differences. After final approval, the bill goes to President Bush, who has stated that he will veto the bill if it weakens existing pro-life policies. Please urge your U.S. Representative and two U.S. Senators to uphold the MCP. To find out how your federally elected officials have voted on this issue, please consult Vote Track . Note the 2007 votes: House Key Votes 191 and 193 and Senate Key Votes 136 and 137.

In a letter to Congress, Cardinal Justin Rigali, Chairman of the Bishops' Committee for Pro-Life Activities, highlighted the origins and purpose of the MCP and made four observations: first, abortion does not plan a family but kills a member of the family; second, studies show that promoting contraceptives does not necessarily reduce abortions; third, when made available alongside preventive methods, abortion replaces prevention; and fourth, it is contrary to logic and common sense to say that we can reduce abortions by supporting groups dedicated to promoting abortion. For full text of the letter.

ACTION: Please contact your U.S. Representative and two U.S. Senators by U.S. mail, FAX letter, e-mail, or phone. Write: U.S. Senate, Washington, DC 20510. Call U.S. Capitol switchboard: 202-224-3121, or call a Member's local office. For full contact information, see House and Senate.

MESSAGE: Please support the Mexico City Policy and vote against any bill to overturn it. We cannot reduce abortions by funding organizations that perform and promote abortion.

WHEN: As soon as possible. President Bush has said he will veto H.R. 2764 if it weakens existing pro-life policies. 10/3/07; reissued: 10/18; 10/26

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS PUBLIC POLICY UPDATE

Mexico City Policy Hearing Wednesday
Use of taxpayer money to promote abortion at issue

On Wednesday, October 31, the House Foreign Affairs Committee will hold a hearing on the Mexico City Policy entitled, "The Mexico City Policy/Global Gag Rule: Its Impact on Family Planning and Reproductive Health." The hearing will be adversarial. Only one of the four listed witnesses supports the Mexico City Policy.

The Mexico City Policy provides that no U.S. population assistance funds can be given to a non-govenmental organization unless it certifies that it will not perform or actively promote abortion as a method of family planning. Pro-abortion groups oppose the Mexico City Policy because they are determined to spread the practice of abortion to Third World Countries.

The Mexico City Policy is an adminstration policy that was first set forth by the Reagan Administration in 1984 at the population conference in Mexico City. The policy was overturned by President Clinton in 1993 but reinstated by President Bush in 2001.

In a letter to Congress, Cardinal Justin Rigali, Chairman of the Bishops' Committee for Pro-Life Activites, highlighted the origins and purpose of the Mexico City Policy and made four observations: first, abortion does not plan a family but kills a member of the family; second, studies show that promoting contraceptives does not necessarily reduce abortions; third, when made available alongside preventive methods, abortion replaces prevention; and fourth, it is contrary to logic and common sense to say that we can reduce abortions by supporting groups dedicated to promoting abortion. Click here for the full text of Cardinal Rigali's letter.

The ad shown above, sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, was printed in three Washington, DC publications directed at members of congress and their staffs (Roll Call, The Hill and CQ Daily). The cost of producing and publishing the ad was underwritten by the Knights of Columbus, as are the activities of the Pro-Life Office of the USCCB. To see a larger version of the ad in PDF format, click on the image.

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