Mexico City Policy
Background:
The Mexico City Policy (MCP) provides that no U.S. population
assistance funds
can be given to a nongovernmental organization unless it
certifies that it will not perform or
actively promote abortion as a method of family planning. The MCP
is so named because it was
first announced by the Reagan Administration at a population
conference in Mexico City in
1984. The policy was in effect until overturned by President
Clinton on January 22, 1993.
On January 22, 2001, President Bush issued an executive
memorandum directing the
Administrator for the U.S. Agency for International Development
(USAID) to reinstate the MCP
in full. On August 29, 2003, the president extended the MCP to
cover population funds not only
at USAID but in all programs under the U.S. State Department.
Abortion advocates in Congress have been seeking ways to
negate President Bush's
reinstatement of the MCP. In 2003 and 2005, the Senate approved
amendments sponsored by
Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) that would prohibit the application of
the MCP funding eligibility
requirements, overriding the MCP. The Boxer Amendment did not
become law.
For more information on legislative action related to the MCP,
see in this report the "Mexico
City Policy" section under Appropriations Bills.
House: On May
17, 2007, Rep. Russ Carnahan (D-MO) introduced the Ensuring
Access to
Contraceptives Act (H.R. 2367). The measure had 22 cosponsors and
was referred to the
Committee on Foreign Affairs. No further action was taken.
This measure would overturn the MCP. Nongovernmental
organizations receiving U.S. funds for
family planning in foreign countries could use their own funds in
the same way that foreign
governments who receive U.S. funds for family planning can use
their own funds. With respect
to U.S. foreign aid funding for family planning programs, private
nongovernmental
organizations would be put on same footing as foreign
governments. Also, in addition to all
other authorizations for international family planning programs,
the bill authorizes $150 million
for Fiscal Year 2008 and the same amount for Fiscal Year 2009.
These monies would be called
the "Reproductive Health Supplies Fund."
In 2006, the same measure (H.R. 4736) was introduced in the
House. No further action was
taken.
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