Trump cuts all health care aid to international groups performing or promoting abortionWashington Times, May 15, 2017, Bradford Richardson
The Trump administration announced a massive expansion Monday of the pro-life Mexico City Policy, issuing guidelines that will strip billions of dollars in aid from international groups that perform or promote abortion.
Originally a ban covering roughly $600 million in family planning money, the Trump policy now applies to all international health care aid doled out by the U.S. government — nearly $9 billion.
The administration said the same amount of money will be paid out but will go only to groups that pledge not to perform or promote abortion as part of their family planning activities.
Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson on Monday approved the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance plan, which broadens the scope of the Mexico City Policy.
First announced by President Reagan in Mexico City in 1984, the policy has been in effect during Republican administrations and suspended by Democratic presidents, including Barack Obama. President Trump restored the policy this year, then plowed new ground with Monday’s expansion.
“We applaud the Trump administration for not just stopping the pro-abortion policies of the Obama era, but putting in place policies that will reverse the destructive and immoral trends of the last eight years,” Tony Perkins, president of the pro-life Family Research Council, said in a statement.
The policy now covers money spent on malaria-fighting efforts, maternal health programs and the AIDS-fighting program started by President George W. Bush.
Administration officials said it was too early to determine which international organizations will lose access to the money because they won’t comply with the policy.
“I direct the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to the extent allowable by law, to implement a plan to extend the requirements of the reinstated Memorandum to global health assistance furnished by all departments or agencies,” the executive memorandum reads.
Critics of the Mexico City Policy have dubbed it the “Global Gag Rule” and argue that it will force organizations to choose between providing health care services and performing abortions.
More:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/may/15/mexico-city-policy-expansion-ends-abortion-aid-abr/
