December 19, 2007—Congress is expected to pass today the fiscal year 2008 omnibus spending bill without proposed language that would ease restrictions imposed by the Global Gag Rule.  

The Global Gag Rule, or Mexico City Policy, requires that international organizations receiving U.S. family planning assistance not use their own funds to provide abortion, counsel or refer for abortion, or lobby for the legalization of abortion in their country. Organizations that do not comply with the policy lose funding and essential supplies of contraceptives. President Ronald Reagan first established the Global Gag Rule in 1984. It was later rescinded by President Bill Clinton, and then was reestablished by President George W. Bush in 2001.

Earlier this year, the Senate passed an amendment to overturn the Global Gag Rule, while the House approved an exemption to the Global Gag Rule allowing for the donation of essential supplies of condoms and other contraceptives. President Bush consistently threatened a veto of the spending bill in part due to this issue, so negotiators were compelled to remove this language from the final version. The President has indicated he will sign the revised bill.