[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7816 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7816

  To amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize the use of 
  funds for comprehensive reproductive health care services, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 29, 2020

  Ms. Schakowsky (for herself, Mrs. Lowey, Ms. Lee of California, Ms. 
   Speier, Ms. Pressley, Ms. DeGette, and Mrs. Torres of California) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                            Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize the use of 
  funds for comprehensive reproductive health care services, and for 
                            other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Abortion is Health Care Everywhere 
Act of 2020''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Abortion is a critical component of sexual and 
        reproductive health care and should be accessible and 
        affordable for all people.
            (2) All people have the right to make their own choices 
        about their sexual and reproductive health, and to access 
        quality and affordable sexual and reproductive health care. 
        International agreements have recognized reproductive rights 
        for over 25 years, and the 2015 Sustainable Development Goals 
        reiterated the centrality of reproductive rights to gender 
        equality.
            (3) Studies have repeatedly demonstrated that when people, 
        including young women and adolescent girls, gender non-
        conforming individuals, and transgender men, are able to 
        control their reproductive lives, there are enormous social and 
        economic benefits--not just for the individual and their 
        family, but for entire communities. Countries that prioritize 
        reproductive health, rights, and justice and human rights are 
        more likely to have better overall health throughout.
            (4) Health system cost is reduced when abortion is widely 
        available and integrated with other types of health care.
            (5) Without access to safe abortion care, people risk their 
        lives to end their pregnancies. At least 24,100 people in low- 
        and middle-income countries die every year from complications 
        from unsafe abortion.
            (6) Ninety-seven percent of unsafe abortions occur in 
        developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. In 
        low- and middle-income countries, the annual cost of post-
        abortion care for all who need it would be $4 billion. The 
        majority of this cost is attributed to treating complications 
        from abortions provided in unsafe conditions.
            (7) Restricting abortion does not reduce either the need 
        for or number of abortions. Abortion rates are similar in 
        countries where it is highly restricted by law and where it is 
        broadly legal.
            (8) When abortions are performed in accordance with World 
        Health Organization (WHO) guidelines and standards, there is 
        minimal risk of severe complications or death.
            (9) As part of their commitment to prevent unsafe abortions 
        and preventable deaths and ensure all people have access to 
        comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care and can 
        exercise their right to full control over their sexuality and 
        reproduction, developing countries and donor governments must 
        work collaboratively to deploy funding, align policies, and 
        mobilize expertise to make safe abortion services available to 
        those seeking to terminate pregnancies.
            (10) United States law restricting United States foreign 
        assistance funding from being used to provide safe abortion 
        services has the effect of harming people who seek to terminate 
        their pregnancies in several ways, including by blocking access 
        to services and erecting barriers to providers obtaining the 
        training and equipment needed to deliver care to those in need.
            (11) Since section 104(f)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act 
        of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151b(f)(1)) (commonly referred to as the 
        ``Helms amendment'') was enacted in 1973, dozens of governments 
        across the globe have liberalized abortion laws and policies.

SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY.

    The following shall be the policy of the United States Government:
            (1) Safe abortion is a critical component of comprehensive 
        maternal and reproductive health care and should be included as 
        part of foreign assistance programs funded by the United States 
        Government.
            (2) Safe abortion is to be made widely available and 
        integrated with other types of health care.
            (3) The United States Government should work to end unsafe 
        abortion and promote safe abortion services by providing 
        funding and collaborating with affected governments and service 
        providers to provide training, commodities and equipment, and 
        access to safe abortion services.

SEC. 4. USE OF FUNDS FOR COMPREHENSIVE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE 
              SERVICES.

    Section 104 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151b) 
is amended--
            (1) in subsection (f)--
                    (A) by striking paragraph (1); and
                    (B) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as 
                paragraphs (1) and (2), respectively;
            (2) by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (h); and
            (3) by inserting after subsection (f), as amended, the 
        following:
    ``(g) Use of Funds for Comprehensive Reproductive Health Care 
Services.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, funds made 
available to carry out this part may be used to provide comprehensive 
reproductive health care services, including abortion services, 
training, and equipment.''.
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