[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 11 (Friday, January 20, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S361]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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   SENATE RESOLUTION 15--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT THE 
          MEXICO CITY POLICY SHOULD BE PERMANENTLY ESTABLISHED

  Mr. LEE (for himself, Mr. Daines, Mr. Moran, Mr. Sasse, Mr. Cornyn, 
Mr. Cruz, and Mr. Paul) submitted the following resolution; which was 
referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                               S. Res. 15

       Whereas section 104(f) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 
     1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151b(f)) (commonly referred to as the 
     ``Helms amendment'') states that no foreign assistance funds 
     may be used to pay for the performance of abortion as a 
     method of family planning or to motivate or coerce any person 
     to practice abortions;
       Whereas section 518 of the Foreign Operations, Export 
     Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2006 
     (Public Law 109-102; 119 Stat. 2202) (commonly referred to as 
     the ``Siljander Amendment'') states that no foreign 
     assistance funds may be used to lobby for or against 
     abortion;
       Whereas, in 1984, President Ronald Reagan established the 
     ``Mexico City Policy,'' which prohibits foreign aid for 
     family planning purposes from being given to foreign 
     nongovernmental organizations that perform abortions or 
     actively promote abortion as a method of family planning, 
     regardless of the source of funding;
       Whereas, upon assuming office on January 20, 1989, 
     President George H.W. Bush continued to enforce the Mexico 
     City Policy as established by President Reagan;
       Whereas the Mexico City Policy was reestablished on January 
     22, 2001, by President George W. Bush; and
       Whereas, on January 23, 2009, President Barack Obama 
     rescinded the Mexico City Policy:
       Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
       (1) the President should immediately reapply and consider 
     improving the Mexico City Policy; and
       (2) Congress should expeditiously consider statutory 
     changes that permanently codify the Mexico City Policy or an 
     improved version thereof.

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