U.S. Congress Members Continue Efforts to Overturn Global Gag Rule

On January 22, 2007, the sixth anniversary of President Bush's reinstatement of the "global gag rule," a bipartisan coalition in the House of Representatives led by Representatives Nita Lowey (D-NY) and Christopher Shays (R-CT) reintroduced the Global Democracy Promotion Act to overturn the policy. Officially termed the Mexico City Policy, the global gag rule mandates that no U.S. family planning assistance can be provided to foreign nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that use funding from any other source to perform abortions in cases other than a threat to the woman’s life, rape, or incest; to provide counseling and referral for abortion; or to lobby to make abortion legal or more widely available in their country.

Called the "gag" rule because it stifles free speech and public debate on abortion-related issues, the policy forces a cruel choice on foreign NGOs: Accept U.S. assistance to provide essential health services—but with restrictions that may jeopardize the health of many patients—or reject the policy and lose vital U.S. funds, contraceptive supplies, and technical assistance. EngenderHealth has been a critical voice in the fight against the global gag rule, joining with partners on a project to document the rule’s repercussions for international sexual and reproductive health.

Please consider urging your representative to cosponsor the Global Democracy Promotion Act, or H.R. 619. More information about the impact of the global gag rule can be found at http://www.globalgagrule.org/.