Democratic senators are moving to permanently repeal the so-called Mexico City policy after President Trump reinstated the ban on U.S. funding for international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that provide abortions.
Forty-seven senators — led by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) — introduced legislation to prohibit the Trump administration from using “certain restrictive eligibility requirements” to keep nongovernmental organizations from getting funding.
“President Trump’s executive order to reinstate the Global Gag Rule is extremely short sighted and shows his willingness to ignore decades of research in favor of ideological politics,” Shaheen said.
The legislation would block the administration from banning foreign NGOs, who use non-U.S. dollars for abortion-related services or lobbying, from receiving taxpayer funding.
{mosads}Shaheen added that the legislation would stop clinics from having to pick between getting their budgets cut or limiting their services in order to receive U.S. funds.
“Many clinics rely on U.S.-supported global health and family planning programs so they can provide critical health care such as contraceptive services, HIV treatment, and Zika prevention, to women in their communities,” she said.
But with Republicans in control of both chambers of Congress, as well as Trump in the White House, supporters of the bill face an uphill battle to getting the measure signed into law.
The “global gag order” established by President Reagan in 1984 blocks federal funding for international family-planning charities that provide abortions or promote abortion rights.
The funding ban has been lifted by Democratic presidents, including President Obama in 2009, and reinstated during previous Republican administrations.
Democrats and outside pro-abortion groups quickly blasted the decision, arguing it cut down on women’s reproductive choices days after millions turned out for worldwide women’s marches.
GOP Sens. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Susan Collins (Maine), who have previously broken from Republican leadership on fights over taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood, are backing the legislation.
In addition to Shaheen, Collins and Murkowski, Democratic Sens. Tammy Baldwin (Wis.), Michael Bennet (Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (Conn.), Cory Booker (N.J.), Sherrod Brown (Ohio), Maria Cantwell (Wash.), Ben Cardin (Md.), Tom Carper (Del.) Chris Coons (Del.), Tammy Duckworth (Ill.), Dick Durbin (Ill.), Dianne Feinstein (Calif.), Al Franken (Minn.), Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.), Kamala Harris (Calif.), Maggie Hassan (N.H.), Martin Heinrich (N.M.), Mazie Hirono (Hawaii), Tim Kaine (Va.), Angus King (Maine), Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), Patrick Leahy (Vt.), Ed Markey (Mass.), Bob Menendez (N.J.), Jeff Merkley (Ore.), Chris Murphy (Conn.), Patty Murray (Wash.), Gary Peters (Mich.), Jack Reed (R.I.), Bernie Sanders (Vt.), Brian Schatz (Hawaii), Charles Schumer (N.Y.), Debbie Stabenow (Mich.), Tom Udall (N.M.), Chris Van Hollen (Md.), Mark Warner (Va.), Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (R.I.), Bob Casey (Pa.), Catherine Cortez Masto (Nev.), Claire McCaskill (Mo.), Bill Nelson (Fla.), and Ron Wyden (Ore.) are backing the bill.
