[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 118 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 118

     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 16, 1999

Mr. Tiahrt (for himself, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Mr. Hyde, Mr. Bachus, 
 Mr. Hill of Montana, Mr. Shows, Mr. Buyer, Mr. Metcalf, Mr. King, Mr. 
  DeLay, Mr. Forbes, Mr. Pitts, Mr. Coburn, Mr. Largent, Mr. Lewis of 
Kentucky, Mr. Aderholt, Mr. Shadegg, Mr. Gary Miller of California, Mr. 
 DeMint, Mr. Weldon of Florida, Mr. Bliley, Mr. Bartlett of Maryland, 
and Mr. English) 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: ``The 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 section 7.12 of the Programme of Action states: ``The principle of 
        informed [consent] is essential to the long-term success of family-
        planning programmes. Any form of coercion has no part to play.'';
Whereas section 7.12 of the Programme of Action further states: ``Government 
        goals for family planning should be defined in terms of unmet needs for 
        information and services. Demographic goals . . . should not be imposed 
        on family-planning providers in the form of targets or quotas for the 
        recruitment of clients.''; 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) no bilateral or multilateral assistance or benefit to 
        any country should be conditioned upon or linked to that 
        country's adoption or failure to adopt population programs, or 
        to the relinquishment of that 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)(A) family planning service providers or referral agents 
        should not implement or be subject to quotas, or other 
        numerical targets, of total number of births, number of family 
        planning acceptors, or acceptors of a particular method of 
        family planning;
            (B) subparagraph (A) should not be construed to preclude 
        the use of quantitative estimates or indicators for budgeting 
        and planning purposes;
            (3) no family planning project should include payment of 
        incentives, bribes, gratuities, or financial 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) no project should deny any right or benefit, including 
        the right of access to participate in any program of general 
        welfare or the right of access to health care, as a consequence 
        of any person's decision not to accept family planning 
        services;
            (5) every family planning project should provide family 
        planning acceptors with 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 consequent to the 
        use of the method;
            (6) every family planning project should ensure that 
        experimental contraceptive drugs and devices and medical 
        procedures are provided only in the context of a scientific 
        study in which participants are advised of potential risks and 
        benefits; and
            (7) the United States should reaffirm the principles 
        described in paragraphs (1) through (6) in the special session 
        of the United Nations General Assembly to be held between June 
        30 and July 2, 1999, and in all preparatory meetings for the 
        special session.
                                 <all>