Bill Introduced to Overturn "Global Gag Rule"

USAID issued its regulations on the Global Gag Rule Feb. 15. Factsheets from the Center for Reproductive Law and Policy: The Impact of the Global Gag Rule: A Country by Country Snapshot The Global Gag Rule’s Effects on Gagged Countries

Feb. 15—A bill to overturn President Bush’s "global gag rule" restrictions on international family planning organizations was introduced today in Congress.

The Global Democracy Promotion Act of 2001 would overturn Bush's Jan. 22 policy memorandum, which banned federal funding to international family planning groups that offer abortion services, counseling or referrals with their own money. The bill was introduced by Reps. Nita M. Lowey (D-NY) and Nancy Johnson (R-CT) in the House of Representatives, and by Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Lincoln Chafee (R-RI) in the Senate. Both pieces of legislation have more than 40 congressional co-sponsors.

The measure would ensure that foreign non-governmental organizations cannot be disqualified for U.S. assistance on the basis of any health services, counseling or lobbying activities if these actions "do not violate the laws of the country in which they are being provided and would not violate United States Federal law if provided in the United States."

The global gag rule was a Reagan-era policy first enacted in 1984. Named the "Mexico City" policy after a population conference held there, it prohibited foreign non-governmental organizations that received U.S. funds from speaking out for or against abortion laws or from providing legal abortion services, even if they used their own funds or were engaging in democratic policy debate in their own countries. U.S. law has prohibited the direct use of federal funds to pay for abortions overseas since 1973.

The gag rule was repealed by President Clinton during his first few days in office and reinstated by President Bush on January 22, 2001.

In FY2001, the United States is providing $425 million in international family planning funding through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and $25 million through the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). These funds would not be affected by the Global Democracy Promotion Act.

For more information:

• Access the full text of the Global Democracy Promotion Act of 2001.



• Read recent articles from The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times and the San Francisco Chronicle describing the recent congressional action.



• Press releases and statements on the bill are available here.



• Read more about President Bush’s decision to reinstate the "global gag rule."

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