It gets the same thing done. The substance is exactly the same. Reinstating the Mexico City policy restrictions that his father and President Reagan had instituted before him, Bush acted in January to impose new rules reversing the Clinton administration's position on unrestricted family-planning aide overseas. Five Senate Republicans and two Democrats introduced legislation Tuesday to overturn Bush's action, using a 1996 law that permits the House and Senate to pass legislation rejecting regulations issued by federal departments and agencies. Abortion-rights supporters condemned Bush's action in January, calling it an act of war on women's reproductive rights.
Current law bans the use of U.S. funds for any abortions in foreign countries.
It went through several subsequent iterations as the Democratic president reached different compromises with congressional Republicans.