[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 151 (Wednesday, October 21, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H11699]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     PRESIDENT'S VETO OF H.R. 1757

  (Mr. BEREUTER asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, this Member deeply regrets that the 
President of the United States has jeopardized America's foreign policy 
leadership by vetoing this legislation, H.R. 1757.
  The President has vetoed this legislation which would permit the 
United States to pay $926 million overall and $475 million this year in 
arrearages to the United Nations, simply because he apparently believes 
that U.S. tax dollars should be used by foreign nongovernmental 
organizations to lobby for abortion.
  On the basis of past experience, one could conclude that the 
compromised Mexico City policy in this legislation would likely affect 
only one foreign, nongovernmental organization, the International 
Planned Parenthood Federation in London. According to the Congressional 
Research Service, that organization spends only $400,000, or less than 
1 percent of its own budget, on abortion-related services.
  Mr. Speaker, the President, uncompromisingly, is willing to put this 
extreme position, defending a tiny expenditure by a foreign 
nongovernmental organization, ahead of America's long-term interest in 
paying down our country's United Nations arrearages through the 
authorization bill he just vetoed.

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