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President Donald Trump signed an executive action on Monday reinstating the so-called Mexico City Policy, which bars international non-governmental organizations that perform or promote abortions from receiving US government funding.
The policy, initially put in place by the Reagan administration, was rescinded by the Obama administration in 2009.
Even during the Obama years, US law banned direct funding for abortion services. But NGOs that performed the procedure were allowed to receive US funding for other programs, including those related to contraception access and post-abortion care.
Trump reinstates ban on US funds promoting abortion overseas
President Trump on Monday morning signed an executive order blocking foreign aid or federal funding for international nongovernmental organizations that provide or "promote" abortions.
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The order comes one day after the 44th anniversary of the Roe V. Wade Supreme Court ruling that made abortion legal, and days before the annual "March for Life" in Washington on Jan. 27.
The so-called Mexico City policy, established by Republican President Ronald Reagan in 1984, blocks federal funding for international family planning charities that provide abortions or "promote" the procedure by providing patients with information about it, including by offering referrals to abortion providers.
Referred to by critics as the "global gag rule", the policy has been subjected to a game of political football over the years, with Democratic presidents rescinding the policy once in office and Republican presidents then reinstating it.
President Obama rescinded the policy when he took office in 2009.
Republicans quickly praised the order as an advancement of "pro-life" policies that protect taxpayer funds.
"Life is a precious and sacred gift, and we must do all we can to protect it," said Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Texas), chairman of the House's health subcommittee.
"I applaud President Trump for taking this important action and look forward to continuing to work together in advancing pro-life policies and protecting taxpayer dollars.”
Democrats denounced the order as reflecting a "dangerous obsession" with rolling back reproductive rights.
“President Trump's reinstatement of the Global Gag Rule ignores decades of research, instead favoring ideological politics over women and families," said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) in a statement.
"I will continue to stand up to President Trump and Republican leadership in Congress who are intent on rolling back women's access to reproductive healthcare, and will introduce bipartisan legislation to repeal the Global Gag Rule for good."
uh can someone tell me why Obama reinstated this in the first place? Why should we fund abortions in other countries?????
Local control as in it is our money and if it is sent out of our locality we will put restrictions on how our local money is spent?
"The August 1984 announcement by President Reagan of what has become known as the "Mexico City Policy" directed the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to expand this limitation and withhold USAID funds from NGOs that use non-USAID funds to engage in a wide range of activities, including providing advice, counseling, or information regarding abortion, or lobbying a foreign government to legalize or make abortion available."
In other words, the US is telling sovereign nations what they can do with money they receive from other sovereign nations if they also happen to receive money from the US.
We will see more of these reversals coming and I am glad we sending the world a message that the US will pay for a foreign program such as this!
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Trump reinstates ban on US funds promoting abortion overseas
