For Immediate Release:	May 8, 2003
For More Information:	Tawana Jacobs, Population Action International, tjacobs@popact.org, 202-557-3422 or 240-893-2725
Sponsor Organization:	Population Connection
A Statement from Peter H. Kostmayer, President, Population Connection
Today’s passage of the Crowley-Lee amendment to the FY 2004-2005 U.S. State Department authorization bill by the House International Relations Committee gives hope to millions of couples around the world who depend on United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for reproductive health services. U.S. funding to UNFPA will demonstrate U.S. support for international programs that promote reproductive health in developing countries around the world. This amendment will reverse the damage that President Bush has done by canceling almost $70 million in U.S. funding to UNFPA over a two-year period because of their alleged support of coercive family planning practices in China. Regular monitoring by international human rights observers found the allegations to be untrue, but the President cancelled the annual contributions anyway. The Crowley-Lee amendment no longer leaves any wiggle room for the President to decide without reason or rationale to zero out funding to the world’s largest source of funding for population and reproductive health programs. UNFPA does invaluable work. They are the only organization to achieve any success in moving the Chinese government away from their coercive family practices that clearly violate human rights. They have also found a way to rise above a catastrophic loss of $70 million in funding over two years to continue to provide reproductive health assistance in countries torn apart by war and conflict. Women and children in Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries teetering on the brink of ruin have benefited from UNFPA’s assistance. I, like many of my peers, anticipate a very ugly fight on this amendment once it reaches the House floor, but am optimistic that the authorization bill will pass with this amendment attached. Members of Congress need to hear from the millions of Americans who support the work of UNFPA. It is high time that Congress listen to the will of the American people and not a bunch of extreme ideologues who want to deny this vital health care to some of the neediest people in more than 150 countries around the world. ……………………………………………………………………………… Population Connection is a national nonprofit organization working to slow population growth and achieve a sustainable balance between the Earth's people and its resources. We seek to protect the environment and ensure a high quality of life for present and future generations. Population Connection's education and advocacy programs aim to influence public policies, attitudes, and behavior on national and global population issues and related concerns.