For Immediate Release:	June 27, 2008
For More Information:	Jesse Laymon, Americans for UNFPA, 646-649-9109
Sponsor Organization:	Americans for UNFPA
Loophole withholds all $40 million that Congress allocated to UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund.
New York, NY – June 27, 2008—On Thursday June 26, 2008, President Bush used a loophole in the 2008 Foreign Operations Appropriations bill to withhold all $40 million that Congress allocated to UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund. This is the seventh consecutive year he has blocked these funds, making the total amount of U.S. support withheld during the Bush Administration $235 million. The largest source of international assistance to women, UNFPA provides women’s health care and promotes the rights of women around the world. Though the U.S. was instrumental in the formation of UNFPA in 1969, it today remains the only country to ever withhold money from UNFPA for reasons that are political, not financial. Withholding U.S. funding for UNFPA undercuts the Administration's alleged commitment to the health and rights of women, while also destabilizing the scope and breadth of UNFPA's activities. The $235 million withheld from UNFPA since 2002 could have prevented roughly 294,000 maternal deaths and could have allowed 82 million women to delay their first or next pregnancy. This year marked President Bush’s last chance to amend his position on U.S. support for the women of the world. By failing to change his stance, he has disappointed but not surprised Americans for UNFPA, the organization devoted to raising moral, political and financial support for UNFPA in the United States. However, Anika Rahman, President of Americans for UNFPA sounded a note of optimism: “We are already well on our way to ensuring that our next President is knowledgeable about the importance of global women’s health. Together, we stand a good chance of ending the stunning disregard our government has shown the world’s women.” Efforts are already underway to ensure that FY ’09 State Foreign Operations Appropriations includes restored support for UNFPA. “Americans for UNFPA is poised to rally our supporters and urge the next Administration to not only fund UNFPA, but also begin to make up for the $235 million withheld since 2002,” says Rahman. “We are hopeful that moving forward, both the Republican and Democratic parties will take leadership on these issues,” adds Rahman. To learn more about Americans for UNFPA, visit http://www.americansforunfpa.org UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, provides women's health care and promotes the rights of women around the world. Americans for UNFPA is dedicated to building American support for the work of UNFPA and to restoring the United States' moral, political and financial contribution to the organization. ###