[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 107 (Friday, June 29, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1463-E1464]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE, FOREIGN OPERATIONS AND RELATED PROGRAMS 
                        APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2008

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. TODD TIAHRT

                               of kansas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 21, 2007

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2764) making 
     appropriations for the Department of State, foreign 
     operations, and related programs for the fiscal year ending 
     September 30, 2008, and for other purposes:

  Mr. TIAHRT. Mr. Chairman, it is unfortunate that the State, Foreign 
Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations bill, H.R. 2764, 
contains language that undermines the Mexico City Policy. While the 
State-Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee Chairwoman Nina 
Lowey (D-NY) drafted a bill that included excellent funding levels for 
foreign nations in need of assistance, her amendment would essentially 
gut the Mexico City Policy. This will have a devastating effect on 
women and families overseas.
  The Reagan administration, in 1984, restricted U.S. population aid by 
terminating USAID support for any foreign NGO that was involved in 
promoting or performing abortions as a method of family planning in 
other nations. This was called the ``Mexico City Policy,'' named after 
the location of the United Nations population conference where the 
policy was first announced. In 1993, President Clinton rescinded the 
policy imposed by the

[[Page E1464]]

Reagan and Bush administrations. As his first act in office, President 
George W. Bush restored the Mexico City Policy on January 20, 2001 and 
released a letter stating, ``I will veto any legislation that weakens 
current Federal policies and laws on abortion, or that encourages the 
destruction of human life at any stage.''
  The Mexico City Policy should not have been weakened. Taxpayer 
dollars should not, in any way, be used to promote abortion as a method 
of family planning. The United States should never be active in 
promoting abortions overseas. Instead, the U.S. should offer family 
planning programs that support the health of the mother, child and 
family unit.
  There are several known organizations that use U.S. foreign aid 
funding to promote and provide abortions, as well as sterilizations, 
overseas. In 1998, newspapers were filled with stories of women 
participating in U.S. funded family planning programs who were forced 
to undergo sterilization procedures, especially in Peru. There were 
also stories of women coerced to participate in family planning 
programs by threatening to withhold food, clothing and shelter from 
their family.
  In response to these atrocities, I introduced an amendment to the 
State, Foreign Operations Appropriations bill in 1998 that defined the 
meaning of ``voluntary participation'' in family planning programs. It 
was to ensure the NGOs receiving USAID funding for family planning 
programs understood what voluntary participation meant and required 
informed consent for women on the benefits and risks associated with 
different family planning methods. Since it was enacted for fiscal year 
1999, there have been several violations and vulnerabilities in 
countries receiving funding. These violations and vulnerabilities were 
identified and corrected by USAID.
  Without strong direction from the United States on how taxpayer 
dollars are spent, we will continue to find violations that are 
destructive to women and families.
  It is due to the Lowey amendment, which undermines the Mexico City 
Policy, that I will be voting against final passage of a bill that 
contained important foreign aid for countries in need, such as Israel. 
It is unfortunate this amendment was adopted, and organizations that 
promote and perform abortions to the women overseas will be able to 
receive U.S. taxpayer funding. It is my hope the Senate will take up 
this bill and strike this harmful language.
  Tonight, I will vote against H.R. 2476 on the basis that it clearly 
undermines good policy and subjects what could have been a good piece 
of legislation to a veto by the President. I urge my colleagues to vote 
against final passage of this bill.

                          ____________________