[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 59 (Tuesday, May 12, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E825]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       VETO PROMISE NOT WARRANTED

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DOUG BEREUTER

                              of nebraska

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 12, 1998

  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, it seems that the ``Mexico City'' policy 
will continue to be an item of contention between the House of 
Representatives and the Clinton Administration. This Member hopes the 
President will reconsider his hard-line opposition to the ``Mexico 
City'' policy, but that appears unlikely. As demonstrated during the 
Reagan years, there are family planning organizations which do not 
perform abortions that can implement the international family planning 
programs.
  Accordingly, this Member commends to his colleagues an excellent 
editorial which appeared in the Norfolk (Nebraska) Daily News, on May 
12, 1998.

                       Veto Promise Not Warranted


 On abortion matter, United Nations policy consistent with Republicans

       Most Americans are accustomed to meeting their obligations, 
     even those made on their behalf by politicians and statesmen 
     with whom they may disagree. The dues payment that the United 
     States provides (or has refused to pay in full in the past) 
     to the United Nations is one of those obligations. The 
     arrears should be paid.
       A long battle to reduce the size of that annual assessment, 
     to get the U.N. to be less wasteful and more accountable, was 
     won last year. A compromise was reached, the payment of 
     nearly $1 billion in back dues has been approved by Congress.
       President Clinton, who favors the payment, threatens to 
     veto the bill, however. It is because the Republican majority 
     in Congress succeeded in aiding language to the 
     appropriations bill that would preclude any of the federal 
     funds from being used by international family planning 
     organizations which advocate abortion.
       Judging by the slim margin of victory for the measure in 
     the Senate a few days ago (51-49), President Clinton could 
     expect to be sustained in his veto action. That would leave 
     the dues unpaid, of course.
       Undesirable as it may be to attach special conditions to 
     this sort of appropriations measure, the president needs to 
     back down. Any one of these three reasons is enough.
       1. The United Nations itself has adopted a policy 
     consistent with that which the GOP majority is attempting to 
     emphasize. In 1984, at an international conference related to 
     population control, it affirmed this policy: ``Abortion is 
     never to be promoted as a means of family planning.''
       2. Planned Parenthood and other organizations which are 
     involved in this field have adequate means to promote their 
     own policies without tapping either the resources of the 
     American government or the United Nations.
       3. The bitter and unreconcilable divisions in America about 
     when, or if ever, abortion is acceptable, should mean that no 
     money obtained from mandatory tax levies should be used for 
     such procedures unless there is virtually unanimous approval.
       That the procedure is legal in America, under a variety of 
     conditions approved by the Supreme Court and set forth in 
     law, does not mean that public funds must follow. Private 
     funding for those who choose abortion should be demanded.
       President Clinton should not be allowed to claim that his 
     congressional opponents on the abortion issue are voting, in 
     effect, to penalize the U.N. by refusing to give him a 
     spending bill without any strings attached. The conditions 
     imposed are not only a valid expression of the congressional 
     majority's views on an important issue related to 
     international affairs, but also consistent with U.N. policy.

     

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