[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 102 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 102

     Reaffirming the principles of the Programme of Action of the 
International Conference on Population and Development with respect to 
   the sovereign rights of countries and the right of voluntary and 
             informed consent in family planning programs.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 9, 1999

Mr. Tiahrt (for himself, Mr. Shows, Mr. Blunt, Mr. Bachus, Mr. Hill of 
   Montana, Mr. Latham, Mr. DeMint, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, and Mr. 
 Buyer) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                  Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
     Reaffirming the principles of the Programme of Action of the 
International Conference on Population and Development with respect to 
   the sovereign rights of countries and the right of voluntary and 
             informed consent in family planning programs.

Whereas the United Nations General Assembly has decided to convene a special 
        session from June 30 to July 2, 1999, in order to review and appraise 
        the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International 
        Conference on Population and Development;
Whereas chapter II of the Programme of Action, which sets forth the principles 
        of that document, begins ``[t]he implementation of the recommendations 
        contained in the Programme of Action is the sovereign right of each 
        country, consistent with national laws and development priorities, with 
        full respect for the various religious and ethical values and cultural 
        backgrounds of its people, and in conformity with universally recognized 
        international human rights'';
Whereas chapter VII of the Programme of Action states ``[a]ny form of coercion 
        has no part to play'' in family planning programs; and
Whereas section 7.17 of the Programme of Action states ``[g]overnments should 
        secure conformity to human rights and to ethical and professional 
        standards in the delivery of family planning and related reproductive 
        health services aimed at ensuring responsible, voluntary, and informed 
        consent and also regarding service provision'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives 
that--
            (1) bilateral assistance, multilateral assistance, or any 
        other form of assistance or benefits to any country should not 
        be conditioned upon, or linked to, that country's adoption of 
        population programs, targets, goals, or quotas, or to any other 
        relinquishment of the country's sovereign right to implement 
        the Programme of Action of the International Conference on 
        Population and Development consistent with its own national 
        laws and development priorities, with full respect for the 
        various religious and ethical values and cultural backgrounds 
        of its people, and in conformity with universally recognized 
        international human rights;
            (2) family planning service providers or referral agents 
        should not implement, or be subject to, numerical quotas, 
        goals, or targets, of total number of births, number of family 
        planning acceptors, or acceptors of a particular method of 
        family planning;
            (3) a family planning project or program should not include 
        payment of incentives, bribes, gratuities, or other material 
        reward to any person in exchange for becoming a family planning 
        acceptor or to program personnel for achieving a numerical 
        target or quota of total number of births, number of family 
        planning acceptors, or acceptors of a particular method of 
        family planning;
            (4) a family planning project or program should not deny 
        any right or benefit, including the right of access to food or 
        health care, as a consequence of any person's decision not to 
        accept family planning services;
            (5) a family planning project or program should provide 
        family planning acceptors with full, comprehensible information 
        on the health benefits and risks of the method chosen, 
        including those conditions that might render the use of the 
        method inadvisable and those adverse side effects known to be 
        associated with the method;
            (6) a family planning project or program should ensure that 
        experimental drugs and devices and medical procedures are 
        provided only in the context of a scientific study in which 
        participants are advised of the experimental nature of the 
        drug, device, or procedure and of the potential risks and 
        benefits;
            (7) a family planning project or program should provide 
        each individual approached to participate in that project or 
        program with full, comprehensible information about that 
        individual's right to decide freely, without coercion, bribery 
        or withholding of benefits, whether to participate in the 
        project or program;
            (8) a health care provider or project or program personnel 
        should not be required to participate in any method or program 
        of family planning that violates the provider's or project or 
        program personnel's rights of conscience or religion; and
            (9) the United States should reaffirm the principles 
        described in paragraphs (1) through (8) in the special session 
        of the United Nations General Assembly to be held from June 30 
        to July 2, 1999, and in all preparatory meetings for the 
        special session.
                                 <all>