Contact: Natalie Bell, Media Coordinator, Concerned Women for America, 202-488-7000 ext. 126
WASHINGTON, July 18 /Christian Newswire/ -- This week Congress voted to allow funding of organizations that promote and perform abortions in other countries, and organizations involved in forced abortions.
A Senate Committee and a House Subcommittee approved a bill that undermines two long-standing amendments that ensure U.S. tax dollars do not subsidize abortions overseas, nor facilitate forced abortions and sterilizations.
The legislation Congress passed would increase funding to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), which assists the Chinese government in its program of coercive abortion and sterilization. It undermines Kemp-Kasten, an amendment which bars tax dollars from going to organizations assisting programs that commit forced abortions and sterilizations.
In addition, the Senate Committee overrode the Mexico City Policy, which prevents non-governmental foreign organizations who fund or support abortions from receiving federal aid from the United States.
The President has vowed that he will veto any legislation that "weakens current Federal policies and laws on abortion, or that encourages the destruction of human life at any stage."
Wendy Wright, President for Concerned Women for America, said, "Congress wants to require American taxpayers to subsidize abortions abroad, including forced abortions. Americans do not want their tax dollars paying for abortion in the U.S. Yet a liberal majority in Congress is trying to force us to pay for abortions in other countries-- paying for programs that forcibly abort women against their will."
Shari Rendall, Director of Legislation and Public Policy, said, "It is utterly despicable that taxpayer money will be used to subsidize abortions abroad. This is especially true when we are exporting this dangerous procedure to women in countries which, in many cases, do not even have safe drinking water or medication."
Concerned Women for America is the nation's largest public policy women's organization.
