House Committee Hearing on Mexico City Policy Proves a Pro-life Success     3/7/2008
By LaToya Cain

This hearing on the Mexico City policy was nothing less than a victory for pro-life proponents around the

Since liberals took over Congress in January 2007, pro-life and pro-family Americans have had little to celebrate when it comes to legislative business on Capitol Hill. Late this past year, on October 31, CWA helped coordinate a hearing on the Mexico City Policy. What transpired during this hearing was nothing less than a victory for pro-life proponents around the world.

Implemented in 1984 by President Ronald Reagan, the Mexico City Policy requires that foreign organizations that receive U.S. tax dollars for family planning can neither perform nor promote abortion. Former President Bill Clinton rescinded the Policy during his presidency, and it had to be reinstated by President Bush.

Through thoughtful and well-prepared efforts, pro-life members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee turned a hearing stacked against the Policy into a revelation of its positive purpose and of the tainted motives and false arguments of its critics. With three pro-abortion witnesses and only one witness to illuminate the current benefits of the Mexico City Policy, pro-life Representatives successfully demonstrated the wisdom of the Policy.

The lone witness speaking in support of Mexico City, Dr. Jean Kagia, and obstetrician/gynecologist and Chairman of the Protecting Life Movement of Kenya, testified that programs such as the Mexico City Policy, which respect African babies and women within the context of African culture, faith and real-life situations, provide the best opportunities to save lives, reduce abortion and help vulnerable families. Dr. Kagia further stated that the Mexico City Policy does not prevent or hinder women from accessing the “family planning” services that primarily distribute contraceptives, which liberals consider as the only solution to the world’s challenges.

In addition to Dr. Kagia’s testimony, pro-life Congressmen gave significant evidence of why the Mexico City Policy should remain intact. Opening the hearing with a video clip of an ultrasound, Representative Chris Smith (R-New Jersey) showed that the life inside a woman is, in fact, a living being and not just a blob of tissue. When Rep. Smith questioned the witnesses as to whether the figure they’d just viewed in the ultrasound was a baby, one of the witnesses, Dr. Duff Gillespie of Johns Hopkins University, stated, “I don’t consider it a person.” He further stated that he thought it was a philosophical question that he should not have to answer.

Rep. Bob Inglis (R-South Carolina) described a conversation he had with a woman who considered supporting him in his run for office. The woman claimed that she was pro-abortion some time ago, but has since changed her views. Rep. Inglis inquired as to why, and she stated, “ultrasound. The pictures show a baby.”

Another important statement by Rep. Inglis, and reaffirmed by other congressmen, is the necessity to consistently apply the Mexico City Policy not only internationally but also domestically. Applying the Mexico City Policy to U.S. organizations that receive federal funds would ensure that organizations such as Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider, are not subsidized by our tax dollars.

Despite the life-affirming revelations of this hearing, liberals continue to make false claims about the Mexico City Policy. Pro-abortionists such as the International Planned Parenthood Federation have even dubbed it “Global Gag Rule.” Here are several truths about the impact and value of this important policy that liberals overlook:

• The Mexico City Policy ensures that U.S. bilateral family planning programs are not conduits for exporting abortion internationally. Without the Mexico City Policy, U.S. taxpayer dollars spent for family planning contracts will line the pockets of foreign organizations that promote and provide abortion.
• Without this policy, foreign abortion advocacy groups will use U.S. taxpayer funds to establish operations and provide family planning services with one hand while promoting abortion with the other, thereby sending the message that all of their activities bear the U.S. stamp of approval.
• The policy is not anti-family planning, it is anti-abortion. A policy against promoting abortion is only “anti-family planning” if one assumes that abortion itself is a method of “family planning.”
• The policy does not reduce family planning funding. The policy does not take one penny away from the $461 million the Foreign Affairs Committee has appropriated for “global population assistance,” which is another way of saying “birth control by abortion.” On the contrary, the policy strengthens these programs by ensuring that they are not connected to abortion activities.
• The policy respects the beliefs and cultures of the countries that receive funds.

Many of the statements made by pro-life members of this Committee reflect the values and beliefs of the majority of Americans. Congress must recognize that these same Americans must not be forced to fund practices which are immoral or otherwise contrary to their values or beliefs. Concerned Women for America thanks the many pro-life members of Congress who worked tirelessly to uphold and protect the sanctity of life, and are proud to stand with them.

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