[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 37 (Tuesday, March 20, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S2595]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. BOXER (for herself, Mr. Reid, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Jeffords, 
        Ms. Collins, Mr. Specter, and Mr. Chafee):
  S.J. Res. 9. A joint resolution providing for congressional 
disapproval of the rule submitted by the United States Agency for 
International Development relating to the restoration of the Mexico 
City Policy; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
  Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, on February 15, the United States Agency 
for International Development issued Contract Information Bulletin 01-
03 regarding the ``Restoration of the Mexico City Policy.''
  This bulletin reinstates the international gag rule, which prohibits 
international family planning organizations that receive federal 
funding from using their own privately-raised funds to counsel women 
about abortion, provide abortion services, and lobby on reproductive 
rights.
  Today, I am introducing, along with Senators Reid, Snowe, Jeffords, 
Collins, Specter, and Chafee, a joint resolution of disapproval under 
the Congressional Review Act.
  As my colleagues know, the CRA establishes a procedure for the 
expedited consideration of a resolution disapproving an agency rule.
  I can think of no other case where expedited procedures are more 
appropriate. Women's lives are at stake.
  Approximately 78,000 women throughout the world die each year as a 
result of unsafe abortions. At least one-fourth of all unsafe abortions 
in the world are to girls aged 15-19. By 2015, contraceptive needs in 
developing countries will grow by more than 40 percent.
  As a result of the gag rule, the organizations that are reducing 
unsafe abortions and providing contraceptives will be forced either to 
limit their services or to simply close their doors to women across the 
world. And this will cause women and families increased misery and 
death.
  Make no mistake, the international gag rule will restrict family 
planning, not abortions. In fact, no United States funds can be used 
for abortion services. That is already law, and has been since 1973. 
This gag rule does, however, restrict foreign organizations in ways 
that would be unconstitutional here at home and that is why we seek to 
reverse it in an expedited fashion under the CRA.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a copy of the joint 
resolution be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the resolution was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                              S.J. Res. 9

       Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
     United States of America in Congress assembled, That Congress 
     disapproves the rule submitted by the United States Agency 
     for International Development relating to the restoration of 
     the Mexico City Policy (contained in Contract Information 
     Bulletin 01-03, dated February 15, 2001), and such rule shall 
     have no force or effect.

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I am pleased to join Senator Boxer in 
introducing a joint resolution of congressional disapproval relating to 
the restoration of the Mexico City Policy.
  We are taking this step because the global gag rule--which denies 
funding to any organization that uses its own funds to provide or 
promote abortion services overseas--is an ill-conceived, anti-woman, 
and anti-American policy.
  The President's rationale for reimposing the gag rule was that he 
wanted to make abortions more rare. Yet the last time the Mexico City 
Policy was in effect, there was no reduction in the number of 
abortions, only reduced access to quality health care services, more 
unintended pregnancies and more abortions. Research shows that the only 
way to reduce the need for abortion is to improve family planning 
efforts that will decrease the number of unintended pregnancies. Access 
to contraception reduces the probability of having an abortion by 85 
percent.
  It the only reason to repeal the Mexico City Policy was to decrease 
the need for abortions then that would be enough. But our support of 
international family planning programs literally means the difference 
between life or death for women in developing countries. At least one 
woman dies every minute of every day from causes related to pregnancy 
and child birth in developing nations. This means that almost 600,000 
women die every year from causes related to pregnancy. Family planning 
efforts that prevent unintended pregnancies save the lives of thousands 
of women and infants each year.
  In addition to reducing maternal and infant mortality rates, family 
planning helps prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. 
This effort is particularly critical considering that the World Health 
Organization has estimated that 5.9 million individuals, the majority 
of whom live in developing nations, become infected with HIV almost 
every year.
  Let me be clear: We are not asking to use one single taxpayer dollar 
to perform or promote abortion overseas. The law has explicitly 
prohibited such activities since 1973. Instead, the Mexico City Policy 
would restrict foreign organizations in a way that would be 
unconstitutional in the United States. The Mexico City Policy violates 
a fundamental tenet of our democracy--freedom of speech. Exporting a 
policy that is unconstitutional at home is the ultimate act of 
hypocrisy. Surely this is not the message we want to send to struggling 
democracies who are looking to the United States for guidance.
  When President Bush reinstated the Mexico City Policy, he turned the 
clock back on women around the world by almost two decades. Today, 
Senator Boxer and I are looking toward the future and taking the first 
step to repeal this antiquated, anti-woman policy.

                          ____________________