"Training on how to do an abortion"

(Editor's Note: The following item was provided to California Catholic Daily by the Parliamentary Network for Critical Issues in Washington, D.C. PNCI publishes email alerts "on the international threat to pro-life laws and current legislative and judicial actions on critical life issues challenging parliamentarians around the world.")

Two new bills have been introduced in the US House of Representatives designed to end US funding restrictions on abortion overseas and promote a radical agenda focused on "sexual and reproductive health."

The first, the Global Sexual and Reproductive Health Act, was introduced by Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (NY-11) to extend US promotion of population control methods, including abortion, to developing countries. The bill seeks to combine population control programs with critical health care treatment and prevention programs including for HIV, maternal health, child health, malaria and other tropical diseases. US funds would be used for various purposes including for training on how to do an abortion and would provide equipment and products for abortion, including medication for self-induced abortion.

Radical non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are fully supporting the bill claiming its adoption will set the US in a new direction to fund abortion and will end the long standing Helms Amendment which prevents US funds from being "used to pay for the performance of abortion as a method of family planning or to motivate or coerce any person to practice abortions." The Helms Amendment has successfully prevented the US Agency for International Development (USAID) from funding abortion services internationally, saving countless lives.

The second bill, the Global Democracy Promotion Act, introduced by Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY) and Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), seeks to create a permanent, legislative obstacle so future pro-life presidents could not easily reinstate the pro-life policy, known as the Mexico City Policy. This policy successfully blocked US funds from international organizations, especially IPPF and Marie Stopes International, which performed or promoted abortion. If this bill is passed, the pro-life policy could not easily be reinstated by an executive order, the process President Obama used to allow funding to pro-abortion organizations.
http://www.calcatholic.com/