PELOSI JOINS ALLIES TO REPEAL FAMILY PLANNING GLOBAL GAG RULE;
BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION WOULD REMOVE FUNDING RESTRICTIONS
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-SF) joined colleagues Thursday to sponsor legislation to repeal the global "gag rule" that imposes restrictions on the use of U.S. foreign aid for international family planning programs.
"If the U.S. government tried to impose similar restrictions on U.S.-based organizations, they would be unconstitutional," Pelosi said. "If we can’t impose these free speech restrictions on U.S. organizations, we shouldn’t be imposing them on foreign organizations. This family planning gag rule is undemocratic and denies women a fundamental right of free speech."
The new bill seeks to repeal the "gag rule" restrictions on U.S. international family planning funding that were passed as part of the FY2000 Foreign Operations Appropriations bill. These damaging restrictions prevent a foreign non-governmental organization (NGO) from lobbying its own government on abortion laws.
Restrictions on family planning assistance would limit access for poor women, which could result in more unintended pregnancies, more maternal deaths and injuries, and more abortions. The World Health Organization estimates that 600,000 women die each year from pregnancy-related causes and more than 150 million married women who want contraceptives have no access to them.
The bill, "the Global Democracy Promotion Act of 2000," was co-authored by Reps. Nita Lowey (D-NY) and Pelosi. Co-sponsers include Jim Greenwood (R-PA) and Christopher Shays (R-CT) and Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA).
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