[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 68 (Thursday, May 17, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E843]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   FOREIGN RELATIONS AUTHORIZA- TION ACT, FISCAL YEARS 2002 AND 2003

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                               speech of

                          HON. HILDA L. SOLIS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 16, 2001

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1646) to 
     authorize appropriations for the Department of State for 
     fiscal years 2002 and 2003, and for other purposes:

  Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to the Hyde 
amendment, which would prohibit foreign non-governmental organizations 
which receive population aid from the United States from using their 
OWN funds to provide abortion services or counsel women about abortion 
options.
  This amendment would place an unfair restriction on family planning 
efforts in developing nations. How can a democratic country like the 
United States have in place a policy which has the very un-democratic 
effect of restricting free speech? The Hyde amendment would restrict 
the ability of foreign nongovernmental organizations to talk openly to 
patients about their health care options. It is simply unfair.
  Reproductive health care is a matter of life and death in developing 
countries. Family planning programs provide critical health care 
services for women and families in the world's poorest regions. Taking 
away U.S. funds for foreign organizations who use their own money to 
counsel women about abortion options will do real harm to important 
international family planning efforts.
  While opponents of international family planning may attempt to cast 
this vote as an abortion-related matter--it is not. It has been illegal 
to use U.S. funds for abortion overseas since 1973. This vote is about 
whether women overseas should have access to needed family planning 
information. I think they should and I urge my colleagues to vote 
against the Hyde amendment.

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