Expressing support for the Geneva Consensus Declaration on Promoting Women's Health and Strengthening the Family and urging that the United States rejoin this historic declaration.

Bill: 118-hconres-74
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Banks, Jim [R-IN-3]
Introduced: 2023-10-24
Policy area: International Affairs
Latest action: action_date: 2023-10-25
text: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-10-24
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>This concurrent resolution affirms the commitments in the Geneva Consensus Declaration on Promoting Women's Health and Strengthening the Family and applauds the signatory countries for their dedication to advancing women's health, protecting life at every stage while affirming that there is no international right to abortion, and upholding the importance of the family as foundational to society.</p> <p>The resolution calls on President Biden to once again add the United States as a signatory to the Geneva Consensus Declaration.</p>

tv_txt: IV 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 74 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 24, 2023 Mr. Banks (for himself, Mr. Duncan , Mr. Moolenaar , Mr. LaMalfa , Mr. Higgins of Louisiana , Mr. Clyde , Mr. Bucshon , Mrs. Miller of Illinois , Mr. Posey , Mr. Harris , Mr. Guest , Mr. Biggs , Mr. Fleischmann , Mr. Mooney , Mr. McCormick , Mr. Weber of Texas , Mr. Luetkemeyer , Mr. Mann , Mr. Wenstrup , Mr. Cline , and Mr. Aderholt ) submitted the following concurrent resolution October 25, 2023 Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing support for the Geneva Consensus Declaration on Promoting Women’s Health and Strengthening the Family and urging that the United States rejoin this historic declaration.

Whereas the United States strongly supports women reaching the highest attainable outcomes for health, life, dignity, and well-being throughout their lives; Whereas the historic coalition that issued the Geneva Consensus Declaration on Promoting Women’s Health and Strengthening the Family (in this preamble referred to as the Geneva Consensus Declaration ) was formed by a diverse group of countries committed to charting a more positive path to advance the health of women, protect the family as foundational to any healthy society, affirm the value of life in all stages of development, and uphold the sovereign right of countries to make their own laws to advance those core values, without external pressure; Whereas the Geneva Consensus Declaration was signed on October 22, 2020, by 32 countries from every region of the world, representing more than 1,600,000,000 people, which committed to working together on the core pillars enshrined in the Declaration, and 36 countries are now part of this coalition; Whereas, although President Joseph R. Biden removed the United States as a signatory to the Geneva Consensus Declaration, at least temporarily, longstanding Federal laws that prohibit the United States from conducting or funding abortions, abortion lobbying, or coercive family planning in foreign countries remain in effect; Whereas the Geneva Consensus Declaration reaffirms that all are equal before the law and human rights of women are an inalienable, integral, and indivisible part of all human rights and fundamental freedoms ; Whereas the Geneva Consensus Declaration reaffirms the inherent dignity and worth of the human person and that every human being has the inherent right to life ; Whereas the Geneva Consensus Declaration reaffirms that there is no international right to abortion, nor any international obligation on the part of States to finance or facilitate abortion ; Whereas the Geneva Consensus Declaration reaffirms that the family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State ; and Whereas the Geneva Consensus Declaration coalition strengthens the collective voice of the signatory countries to prevent any country from being intimidated, isolated, or muted on the core values expressed in the Declaration: Now, therefore, be it

That Congress— (1) affirms the commitments to protect life and the family made in the Geneva Consensus Declaration on Promoting Women’s Health and Strengthening the Family (in this resolution referred to as the Geneva Consensus Declaration ) and applauds the signatory countries for their dedication to advancing women’s health, protecting life at every stage while affirming that there is no international right to abortion, and upholding the importance of the family as foundational to society; (2) declares that the principles affirming life and the family recognized by the Geneva Consensus Declaration remain universally valid; (3) welcomes opportunities to strengthen support for the Geneva Consensus Declaration; (4) will defend the sovereignty of every country to adopt national policies that promote women's health, protect the right to life, and strengthen the family, as enshrined in the Geneva Consensus Declaration; (5) will conduct oversight of the United States executive branch to ensure that the United States does not conduct or fund abortions, abortion lobbying, or coercive family planning in foreign countries, consistent with longstanding Federal law; (6) urges the signatory countries to the Geneva Consensus Declaration to defend the universal principles affirming life and the family expressed in the Declaration; (7) calls on President Joseph R. Biden to once again add the United States as a signatory to the Geneva Consensus Declaration; and (8) calls on all subsequent Presidents to continue support of the Geneva Consensus Declaration.