WASHINGTON, Apr 20 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Special to LifeSite by Scott Weinberg of PRI
During April 11 US congressional hearings, abortion supportive Democrats contended that an increase in USAID (United States Agency for International Development) foreign family planning spending was needed to reduce abortion rates in the developing world. They called the Mexico City Policy, which prevents US funds from going to foreign NGOs that lobby for or perform abortion, a “gag rule” opposed to freedom of speech provisions. The group sought a $170 million increase in foreign “family planning” funds.
However, the initiative was blocked by pro-life Republicans who used data on USAID’s funding of “forced sterilization” in Peru provided by the Population Research Institute. The Chairman of the US House Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Sonny Callahan, told USAID “not to expect funding higher than the current level” for foreign family planning spending since with its documented actions in Peru, “USAID is participating in something violatory of US law.”