[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 18 (Wednesday, February 27, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H567]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 FULFILL COMMITMENT MADE TO FUND UNPFA

  (Mr. CROWLEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, last year Congress and the President agreed 
to fund UNPFA, the United Nations Population Fund, at $34 million. Now 
the administration has said they will not spend the funds appropriated 
by Congress in accordance with the bipartisan deal that was made. They 
say that UNPFA performs abortions and points to their work in China.
  What opponents do not say is that UNPFA does not perform abortions, 
not in China, not in Africa, and not in Latin America. They never have, 
and they never will.
  My colleagues know U.S. law prevents them from doing so. Secretary 
Colin Powell and U.N. Ambassador John Negroponte know this as well.
  President Bush knows this. That is why in his first budget in 
Congress he asked for $25 million and most recently, last fall, 
approved US money for UNPFA for Afghan refugee women's health care.
  Our country disagrees with the family planning policies of the 
Chinese Government. We all want change, and change will come through 
groups like UNPFA and USAID, who work to encourage voluntary family 
planning to control a surging population.
  But let us not tie up $34 million in funding that will save women's 
lives and children's lives around the world, to prevent the spread of 
HIV and AIDS and to improve child health survival.
  President Bush said that we fight the Taliban to give hope to women 
in Afghanistan. Let us fulfill the commitment of Congress to give hope 
to all women around the world.

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