Support UNFPA Funding Act

Bill: 119-hr-2439
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Houlahan, Chrissy [D-PA-6]
Introduced: 2025-03-27
Policy area: International Affairs
Latest action: action_date: 2025-03-27
text: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Summaries:

tv_txt: I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2439 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 27, 2025 Ms. Houlahan (for herself, Ms. Moore of Wisconsin , Ms. Norton , Mr. Connolly , Mr. Vargas , Mr. Pocan , Ms. Bonamici , Mr. Carson , Mr. Case , Ms. Omar , Mr. Peters , Mrs. Dingell , Ms. Tokuda , Mrs. Hayes , Mr. McGovern , Ms. Strickland , Mr. Gottheimer , Mr. Nadler , Ms. Jacobs , Mr. Crow , Ms. Titus , Mrs. Fletcher , Ms. Brown , Mr. Quigley , Ms. Pingree , Ms. Schakowsky , Mr. Bell , Ms. McCollum , Ms. Ansari , Ms. Matsui , Ms. Meng , Ms. Johnson of Texas , Ms. Wasserman Schultz , Mr. Moulton , Ms. Kelly of Illinois , Mr. Auchincloss , Mr. Johnson of Georgia , Mr. Costa , Mr. Veasey , Ms. Brownley , Mr. Meeks , Mr. Cohen , Ms. DeGette , and Ms. Velázquez ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs A BILL To authorize contributions to the United Nations Population Fund, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Support UNFPA Funding Act . 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. (2) UNFPA was founded with the bipartisan leadership of the United States and advances United States strategic interests to promote peace and stability overseas by working in more than 150 countries to end preventable maternal deaths, the unmet need for contraception, and gender-based violence and other harmful practices, including female genital mutilation and child marriage. (3) The Multilateral Organization Performance Assessment Network, also known as MOPAN, of which the United States is a member, conducted a thorough evaluation of UNFPA’s organizational performance, effectiveness, and results. The evaluation, released in January 2025, concluded that UNFPA is a highly relevant and effective organization that is successfully delivering on its mandate. UNFPA has been an excellent steward and partner to the United States, ensuring that all United States financial contributions are kept in a segregated account and in compliance with United States legal restrictions. UNFPA does not fund abortion or promote abortion as a method of family planning. UNFPA opposes all forms of coercion and involuntary sterilization. (4) All UNFPA programming is guided by principles adopted by 179 governments, including the United States, at the 1994 International Conference for Population and Development. The principles include that reproductive health care programs should provide the widest range of services without any form of coercion. All couples and individuals have the basic right to decide freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their children and to have the information, education, and means to do so. . (5) UNFPA extends and supports the United States investment in global safety, stability, and security by reaching women and girls in politically unstable regions. UNFPA also plays a pivotal role in meeting protection and health care needs in countries experiencing complex humanitarian emergencies. (6) UNFPA ensures access to health care and essential supplies for women and families affected by humanitarian crises, including those arising from natural disasters, armed conflicts, and other emergencies. (7) The termination of funding for several UNFPA programs restricts UNFPA’s critical work, endangering lives across the world. Without reversal, UNFPA cannot continue addressing the needs of the following: (A) The nearly 800 women and adolescent girls who die each day from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth, most of which occur in developing countries and more than half of which occur in fragile and humanitarian settings. (B) The more than 226,000,000 women of reproductive age in low- and middle-income countries who want to avoid pregnancy and are not using a modern contraceptive method. (C) The estimated 1 in 3 women who experience gender-based violence. (D) The estimated 230,000,000 women who have survived some form of female genital mutilation. (E) The estimated 12,000,000 girls who are forcibly married before the age of 18 each year. (8) Voluntary family planning is central to global health, equality and women’s empowerment, and it is a key factor in poverty reduction, enabling individuals and families to make informed decisions about their reproductive health and economic well-being. Providing access to family planning reduces the need for abortion as it helps prevent unintended pregnancies. (9) In March 2025, thousands of Americans, representing all 50 States, expressed their support for the lifesaving work of UNFPA. 3. Statement of policy It is the policy of the United States as follows: (1) Improving the status of women around the world is a strategic priority for United States foreign policy and development efforts, contributing to global stability and economic growth. (2) The ability of individuals to freely determine whether, when, and with whom to have children, and to attain the highest standard of health, supports both human rights and sustainable development, fostering more stable and prosperous societies. (3) Access to voluntary contraception and reproductive health care is a cost-effective intervention that enhances women’s economic participation, reduces poverty, and strengthens communities—advancing United States strategic interests. (4) UNFPA is a key partner in advancing global health, stability, and economic development by improving the status of women and expanding access to voluntary family planning and reproductive health care. (5) UNFPA plays a vital role in ensuring that family planning and reproductive health programs are voluntary, rights-based, and aligned with international standards—helping to prevent instability and improve health outcomes in vulnerable regions. (6) Financial support for UNFPA aligns with United States interests by promoting global health, reducing maternal mortality, and fostering development in ways that contribute to more stable and self-sufficient nations. The United States Government remains committed to providing targeted, cost-effective funding to support these efforts. 4. Authorization of appropriations (a) In general There is authorized to be appropriated to the President, in addition to funds otherwise made available, not less than $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2026 and not less than $55,000,000 for fiscal year 2027 to support the core functions and programs of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), which may include the following: (1) Ending preventable maternal deaths. (2) Ending the unmet need for contraceptives and promoting a voluntary approach to family planning. (3) Ending gender-based violence. (4) Ending other harmful practices, such as child marriage and female genital mutilation. (5) Supporting United States national security and humanitarian efforts by operating in areas where medical infrastructure or services have been destroyed or limited by natural disasters, armed conflict, or other humanitarian emergencies. (b) Availability Amounts authorized to be appropriated under subsection (a) are authorized to remain available until expended.