I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7816 

To amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize the use of 

funds for comprehensive reproductive health care services, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 29, 2020 

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY (for herself, Mrs. LOWEY, Ms. LEE of California, Ms. 

SPEIER, Ms. PRESSLEY, Ms. DEGETTE, and Mrs. TORRES of California) 

introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 

Foreign Affairs 

A BILL 

To amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize 

the use of funds for comprehensive reproductive health 

care services, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Abortion is Health 

5 Care Everywhere Act of 2020’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress makes the following findings: 


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1 (1) Abortion is a critical component of sexual 

2 and reproductive health care and should be acces3 sible and affordable for all people. 

4 (2) All people have the right to make their own 

5 choices about their sexual and reproductive health, 

6 and to access quality and affordable sexual and re7 productive health care. International agreements 

8 have recognized reproductive rights for over 25 

9 years, and the 2015 Sustainable Development Goals 

10 reiterated the centrality of reproductive rights to 

11 gender equality. 

12 (3) Studies have repeatedly demonstrated that 

13 when people, including young women and adolescent 

14 girls, gender non-conforming individuals, and 

15 transgender men, are able to control their reproduc16 tive lives, there are enormous social and economic 

17 benefits—not just for the individual and their fam18 ily, but for entire communities. Countries that 

19 prioritize reproductive health, rights, and justice and 

20 human rights are more likely to have better overall 

21 health throughout. 

22 (4) Health system cost is reduced when abor23 tion is widely available and integrated with other 

24 types of health care. 


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1 (5) Without access to safe abortion care, people 

2 risk their lives to end their pregnancies. At least 

3 24,100 people in low- and middle-income countries 

4 die every year from complications from unsafe abor5 tion. 

6 (6) Ninety-seven percent of unsafe abortions 

7 occur in developing countries in Africa, Asia, and 

8 Latin America. In low- and middle-income countries, 

9 the annual cost of post-abortion care for all who 

10 need it would be $4 billion. The majority of this cost 

11 is attributed to treating complications from abor12 tions provided in unsafe conditions. 

13 (7) Restricting abortion does not reduce either 

14 the need for or number of abortions. Abortion rates 

15 are similar in countries where it is highly restricted 

16 by law and where it is broadly legal. 

17 (8) When abortions are performed in accord18 ance with World Health Organization (WHO) guide19 lines and standards, there is minimal risk of severe 

20 complications or death. 

21 (9) As part of their commitment to prevent un22 safe abortions and preventable deaths and ensure all 

23 people have access to comprehensive sexual and re24 productive health care and can exercise their right to 

25 full control over their sexuality and reproduction, deVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:39 Aug 15, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7816.IH H7816

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1 veloping countries and donor governments must 

2 work collaboratively to deploy funding, align policies, 

3 and mobilize expertise to make safe abortion services 

4 available to those seeking to terminate pregnancies. 

5 (10) United States law restricting United 

6 States foreign assistance funding from being used to 

7 provide safe abortion services has the effect of harm8 ing people who seek to terminate their pregnancies 

9 in several ways, including by blocking access to serv10 ices and erecting barriers to providers obtaining the 

11 training and equipment needed to deliver care to 

12 those in need. 

13 (11) Since section 104(f)(1) of the Foreign As14 sistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151b(f)(1)) (com15 monly referred to as the ‘‘Helms amendment’’) was 

16 enacted in 1973, dozens of governments across the 

17 globe have liberalized abortion laws and policies. 

18 SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY. 

19 The following shall be the policy of the United States 

20 Government: 

21 (1) Safe abortion is a critical component of 

22 comprehensive maternal and reproductive health 

23 care and should be included as part of foreign assist24 ance programs funded by the United States Govern25 ment. 


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1 (2) Safe abortion is to be made widely available 

2 and integrated with other types of health care. 

3 (3) The United States Government should work 

4 to end unsafe abortion and promote safe abortion 

5 services by providing funding and collaborating with 

6 affected governments and service providers to pro7 vide training, commodities and equipment, and ac8 cess to safe abortion services. 

9 SEC. 4. USE OF FUNDS FOR COMPREHENSIVE REPRODUC10 TIVE HEALTH CARE SERVICES. 

11 Section 104 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 

12 (22 U.S.C. 2151b) is amended— 

13 (1) in subsection (f)— 

14 (A) by striking paragraph (1); and 

15 (B) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and 

16 (3) as paragraphs (1) and (2), respectively; 

17 (2) by redesignating subsection (g) as sub18 section (h); and 

19 (3) by inserting after subsection (f), as amend20 ed, the following: 

21 ‘‘(g) USE OF FUNDS FOR COMPREHENSIVE REPRO22 DUCTIVE HEALTH CARE SERVICES.—Notwithstanding 

23 any other provision of law, funds made available to carry 

24 out this part may be used to provide comprehensive reproVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:39 Aug 15, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7816.IH H7816

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1 ductive health care services, including abortion services, 

2 training, and equipment.’’. 

Æ 


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