On Monday, the Trump Administration announced that it would be expanding the Mexico City Policy, which is a pro-life measure that prevents federal funding from supporting or promoting abortion overseas through family planning grants.
According to the Federal Register, where the new rule was published, foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs) interested in aid grants from the United States cannot use other methods of funding in order to support or promote abortion. This would essentially deny pro-abortion organizations any U.S. funding.
The Mexico City Policy was first instituted by President Ronald Reagan and has been reintroduced by every Republican president. Democrat presidents have opposed the policy. This change, if enacted, would introduce further measures aimed at preventing taxpayer dollars from going to fund abortion abroad.
International NGOs live off of U.S. government grants, which fund 40% of global health aid. To lose out on that funding would be detrimental to many organizations, including the International Planned Parenthood Federation and Marie Stopes International, but only if they decide to continue providing abortions.
Zara Ahmed, the associate director for federal issues for pro-abortion think tank the Guttmacher Institute, stated, “This administration is fully aware that the global gag rule is coercive and demonstrably hurts women and families worldwide.
“By choosing to expand it even further, they are intentionally depriving people of life-saving and essential reproductive health care all over the globe in service of a manipulative ideological agenda.”
Pro-life groups are praising the decision, with Susan B. Anthony List (SBA) providing a press release from SBA president Marjorie Dannenfelser, which states, “We thank President Trump and Secretary Pompeo for boldly defending life on the world stage. From day one they have championed innovative policies to protect unborn children and their mothers, as well as taxpayers.
“A recent State Department report proves definitively that the Trump administration’s pro-life policies are working. While a small handful of radical pro-abortion groups such as International Planned Parenthood Federation and Marie Stopes International refuse to comply and have forfeited their eligibility for funding, the overwhelming majority of grantees will continue providing much-needed health aid without sacrificing the dignity of unborn human life. This new proposed rule builds on that success, further preventing the big abortion industry from exporting abortion on demand around the world on American taxpayers’ dime.”
If this policy change is enacted, international health NGOs that rely on U.S. grant money will now have to decide whether abortion is more important than providing lifesaving medical treatment to men, women and children across the globe?
The decision is simple.
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