Obama Lifts Ban on Overseas Abortion Funding

Quote :

President Obama on Friday lifted a ban on federal funding for international groups that promote or perform abortions, reversing a policy of his predecessor, George W. Bush.

Obama signed the executive order one day after the 36th anniversary of the landmark Roe v. Wade Supreme Court ruling that legalized abortion in all 50 states.

Liberal groups welcomed the decision while abortion rights foes criticized the president, who was long expected to make this move during his first week in office.

The so-called Mexico City policy requires any non-governmental organization to agree before receiving U.S. funds that they will "neither perform nor actively promote abortion as a method of family planning in other nations."

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/first100days/2009/01/23/obama-lift-ban-overseas-abortion-funding/

So our nation's economy stinks, people are losing jobs and homes left and right and one of the first things Obama does is open up funding for abortions in other countries?? Pro/Anti abortion stance aside- really- do we need to send funding to other nations when we can't get our shiznitz together here??

I don't see anything here that indicates additional money will be spent.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090123/ap_on_go_pr_wh/obama_abortion_ban_12

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Liberal groups welcomed the decision while abortion rights foes criticized the president. Known as the "Mexico City policy," the ban has been reinstated and then reversed by Republican and Democratic presidents since GOP President Ronald Reagan established it in 1984. Democrat Bill Clinton ended the ban in 1993, but Republican George W. Bush re-instituted it in 2001 as one of his first acts in office.

The policy bans U.S. taxpayer money, usually in the form of U.S. Agency for International Development funds, from going to international family planning groups that either offer abortions or provide information, counseling or referrals about abortion. It is also known as the "global gag rule," because it prohibits taxpayer funding for groups that lobby to legalize abortion or promote it as a family planning method.

It looks like a simple reallocation of International Development Funds to me. If you have any additional info indicating otherwise, then please post it.

Thanks!

You're right, I'm sure they'll just reallocate some of the money so instead of a woman and her child being fed in a third world country, that money will instead go towards providing her with an abortion.

I'll look to see what I can find on the funding- feel free to post something otherwise if you find it...

thanks!

Quote :

Obama reverses abortion 'gag rule'

...Abortion rights groups, which supported Obama during the campaign with money and volunteers, have been pushing for the change in the policy, which bars US taxpayer money from going to international family planning groups that either offer abortions or provide information, counseling, or referrals about abortion. ...

...the White House did issue a statement from Obama...

"...I look forward to working with Congress to restore U.S. financial support for the U.N. Population Fund. By resuming funding to UNFPA, the U.S. will be joining 180 other donor nations working collaboratively to reduce poverty, improve the health of women and children, prevent HIV/AIDS and provide family planning assistance to women in 154 countries.”

Doesn't really sound like it's going to be a reallocation- but I'll keep looking for ya guys!

I don't see anything wrong with this at all.



Saturday, January 24th, 2009 at 10:12 am
Statement released after the President rescinds "Mexico City Policy"
Yesterday, President Obama rescinded the "Mexico City Policy" and released the following statement:

It is clear that the provisions of the Mexico City Policy are unnecessarily broad and unwarranted under current law, and for the past eight years, they have undermined efforts to promote safe and effective voluntary family planning in developing countries. For these reasons, it is right for us to rescind this policy and restore critical efforts to protect and empower women and promote global economic development.

For too long, international family planning assistance has been used as a political wedge issue, the subject of a back and forth debate that has served only to divide us. I have no desire to continue this stale and fruitless debate.

It is time that we end the politicization of this issue. In the coming weeks, my Administration will initiate a fresh conversation on family planning, working to find areas of common ground to best meet the needs of women and families at home and around the world.

I have directed my staff to reach out to those on all sides of this issue to achieve the goal of reducing unintended pregnancies. They will also work to promote safe motherhood, reduce maternal and infant mortality rates and increase educational and economic opportunities for women and girls.

In addition, I look forward to working with Congress to restore U.S. financial support for the U.N. Population Fund. By resuming funding to UNFPA, the U.S. will be joining 180 other donor nations working collaboratively to reduce poverty, improve the health of women and children, prevent HIV/AIDS and provide family planning assistance to women in 154 countries.

Let's see: goal of reducing unintended pregnancies, prevent HIV/AIDS, and provide family planning assistance - no, I don't have a problem with that.

Ohhmama wrote:

Quote :

Obama reverses abortion 'gag rule'

...Abortion rights groups, which supported Obama during the campaign with money and volunteers, have been pushing for the change in the policy, which bars US taxpayer money from going to international family planning groups that either offer abortions or provide information, counseling, or referrals about abortion. ...

...the White House did issue a statement from Obama...

"...I look forward to working with Congress to restore U.S. financial support for the U.N. Population Fund. By resuming funding to UNFPA, the U.S. will be joining 180 other donor nations working collaboratively to reduce poverty, improve the health of women and children, prevent HIV/AIDS and provide family planning assistance to women in 154 countries.”

Doesn't really sound like it's going to be a reallocation- but I'll keep looking for ya guys!

Yeah. Well I thought that you were referring to the "Mexico City Policy."

BTW - You named this thread and characterized the reversal of the "gag order" as "lifting the ban on overseas abortion funding." In reality, it's far more than that...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico_City_Policy

Quote :

Critics of the Mexico City Policy refer to it as the "global gag rule", arguing that, in addition to reducing the overall funding provided to particular NGOs, it closes off their access to USAID-supplied condoms and other forms of contraception. This, they argue, negatively impacts the ability of these NGOs to distribute birth control, leading to a downfall in contraceptive use and from there to an increase in the rates of unintended pregnancies and abortion. Critics also argue that the ban promotes restrictions on free speech as well as restrictions on accurate medical information.

The UN Population Fund has not yet been addressed, but Obama has indicated that he is interested in restoring support to that cause as well...

From the article cited by Party42...

Quote :

In addition, I look forward to working with Congress to restore U.S. financial support for the U.N. Population Fund. By resuming funding to UNFPA, the U.S. will be joining 180 other donor nations working collaboratively to reduce poverty, improve the health of women and children, prevent HIV/AIDS and provide family planning assistance to women in 154 countries.

I also think it's incorrect to characterize the proposed restoration of support to that fund as "lifting the ban on overseas abortion funding."

I addressed the topic/thread to what the article sited was titled.