Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment that would protect foreign countries from U.S. taxpayer dollars being used to undermine their laws on abortion. Congress has repeatedly banned the use of taxpayer dollars to pay for abortions within our own boarders, except when the life of the mother is endangered or in cases of rape or incest. This amendment continues the guarantee that American taxpayer dollars are subject to the same test when the money is used to assist foreign countries.
Money is fungible.
Any organization that is involved in international family planning efforts AND performs abortions AND lobbies to weaken abortion laws should not receive taxpayer dollars. The international population control groups are active and powerful. Some of the groups are actively trying to lift restrictions on abortions in over 100 countries, including Ireland, Brazil, Mexico and Sri Lanka. We should not be funding their lobbying efforts, but if we continue to subsidize their other programs we will be doing exactly that. This amendment does NOT decrease the amount of money available for international family planning.