[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 190 (Thursday, October 28, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7465-S7466]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 17--CELEBRATING THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF 
     THE COALITION OF SIGNATORY COUNTRIES TO THE GENEVA CONSENSUS 
  DECLARATION ON PROMOTING WOMEN'S HEALTH AND STRENGTHENING THE FAMILY

  Mr. DAINES (for himself, Mr. Lankford, Mr. Boozman, Mrs. Blackburn, 
Mr. Hawley, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Moran, Mr. Braun, Mr. Hagerty, 
Mr. Scott of Florida, Mr. Wicker, Ms. Lummis, Mr. Lee, Mr. Portman, and 
Mr. Inhofe) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                            S. Con. Res. 17

       Whereas the United States strongly supports women reaching 
     the highest attainable outcomes for health, life, dignity, 
     and well-being throughout their lives;
       Whereas the historic coalition that issued the Geneva 
     Consensus Declaration on Promoting Women's Health and 
     Strengthening the Family (in this preamble referred to as the 
     ``Geneva Consensus Declaration'') was formed by a diverse 
     group of countries committed to charting a more positive path 
     to advance the health of women, protect the family as 
     foundational to any healthy society, affirm the value of life 
     in all stages of development, and uphold the sovereign right 
     of countries to make their own laws to advance those core 
     values, without external pressure;
       Whereas the Geneva Consensus Declaration was signed on 
     October 22, 2020, by 32 countries from every region of the 
     world, representing more than 1,600,000,000 people, which 
     committed to working together on the core pillars enshrined 
     in the Declaration, and 5 countries have subsequently signed;

[[Page S7466]]

       Whereas, although President Joseph R. Biden removed the 
     United States as a signatory to the Geneva Consensus 
     Declaration, at least temporarily, 36 countries remain 
     signatories, and longstanding Federal laws that prohibit the 
     United States from conducting or funding abortions, abortion 
     lobbying, or coercive family planning in foreign countries 
     remain in effect;
       Whereas the Geneva Consensus Declaration reaffirms that 
     ``all are equal before the law'' and ``human rights of women 
     are an inalienable, integral, and indivisible part of all 
     human rights and fundamental freedoms'';
       Whereas the Geneva Consensus Declaration reaffirms the 
     inherent ``dignity and worth of the human person'' and that 
     ``every human being has the inherent right to life'';
       Whereas the Geneva Consensus Declaration reaffirms that 
     ``there is no international right to abortion, nor any 
     international obligation on the part of States to finance or 
     facilitate abortion'';
       Whereas the Geneva Consensus Declaration reaffirms that 
     ``the family is the natural and fundamental group unit of 
     society and is entitled to protection by society and the 
     State''; and
       Whereas the Geneva Consensus Declaration coalition 
     strengthens the collective voice of the signatory countries 
     to prevent any country from being intimidated, isolated, or 
     muted on the core values expressed in the Declaration: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) celebrates the first anniversary of the coalition of 
     signatory countries to the Geneva Consensus Declaration on 
     Promoting Women's Health and Strengthening the Family (in 
     this resolution referred to as the ``Geneva Consensus 
     Declaration'');
       (2) affirms the commitments to protect life and the family 
     made in the Geneva Consensus Declaration and applauds the 
     signatory countries for their dedication to advancing women's 
     health, protecting life at every stage while affirming that 
     there is no international right to abortion, and upholding 
     the importance of the family as foundational to society;
       (3) declares that the principles affirming life and the 
     family recognized by the Geneva Consensus Declaration remain 
     universally valid;
       (4) welcomes opportunities to strengthen support for the 
     Geneva Consensus Declaration;
       (5) will defend the sovereignty of every country to adopt 
     national policies that promote women's health, protect the 
     right to life, and strengthen the family, as enshrined in the 
     Geneva Consensus Declaration;
       (6) will conduct oversight of the United States executive 
     branch to ensure that the United States does not conduct or 
     fund abortions, abortion lobbying, or coercive family 
     planning in foreign countries, consistent with longstanding 
     Federal law; and
       (7) urges the signatory countries to the Geneva Consensus 
     Declaration to defend the universal principles affirming life 
     and the family expressed in the Declaration.

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