Biden reverses life-affirming policies

From U.S. House of Representatives pro-life advocates, a sad summary of damage to life-affirming policies done by President Biden in his first 10 days of office:

On Jan. 28, President Joe Biden issued a memorandum that rescinded the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance (PLGHA) policy, directed the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to consider rescinding the Protect Life (Title X) Rule, channeled money to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), directed the United States to withdraw from the Geneva Consensus Declaration, and emphasized federal foreign assistance for “sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights.”  The White House fact sheet may be viewed here.

Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance Policy

President Biden revoked the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance Policy (PLGHA), also known as the Mexico City Policy.

PLGHA affirms respect for unborn life in foreign aid funding by requiring foreign nongovernmental organizations (NGOS) to agree, as a condition of their receipt of US federal grant money, to neither perform nor promote abortion as a method of family planning overseas.  President Trump reinstated and modernized the policy, applying it to all global health funds (approximately $8.8 billion taxpayer dollars). According to a Marist poll released earlier this week, Americans overwhelmingly oppose using taxpayer dollars to support abortion in other countries (77%).

On January 28, 2021, Reps. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Virginia Foxx (R-NC) sent a letter signed by 136 Members to President Biden urging him to reconsider his decision to rescind PLGHA.  A press release with additional information is pasted below my signature.

Protect Life (Title X) Rule

President Biden directed the HHS Secretary to consider whether to suspend, revise or rescind the Protecting Life (Title X) Rule.

In February 2019, HHS released the final rule for the Title X family planning program, also known as the Protect Life Rule.  The rule ensures compliance with the statutory prohibition against using Title X funds for programs where abortion is a method of family planning.  An HHS press release is available here.  Key provisions of the rule include:

• Prohibiting Title X projects from referring for abortion (Section 59.14)
• Requiring Title X entities to maintain physical and financial separation from abortion providers (Section 59.15)
• Requiring compliance with abuse reporting laws (Section 59.17)

Prior to the Protect Life Rule, Planned Parenthood received nearly $60 million in Title X funds every year.  Under the rule, abortion providers who do not comply with the new regulations are not be eligible for Title X funds. The rule does not reduce Title X funds; it redirects them to providers that do not perform or promote abortions.

Renewed Funding for United Nations Population Fund

President Biden directed the Secretary of State to provide funding to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

President Trump directed funding away from UNFPA under the authority provided by the Kemp-Kasten Amendment. This amendment is a longstanding appropriations provision that restricts funds from organizations that the President determines support or participate in a coercive abortion program.

The Trump Administration’s determination explained that China’s National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) oversees the implementation of China’s “two-child” birth limit law and the NHFPC is listed as a UNFPA partner in Country Program 8. The determination stated that UNFPA supports China’s family planning program, which includes coercive elements.

Despite UNFPA’s complicity in China’s continued human rights abuse, President Biden has chosen to resume funding.

Withdrawing from the Geneva Consensus Declaration

President Biden announced that the United States shall withdraw from the Geneva Consensus Declaration.

Signed by the U.S. and 31 other countries in 2020, the Geneva Consensus Declaration is an international agreement which, among other things, asserts that “in no case should abortion be promoted as a method of family planning” and there is “no international right to abortion.”

Funding for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Reproductive Rights

The memorandum directs the Secretary of State to “ensure that adequate funds are being directed to support women’s health needs globally, including sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights.” These terms are often used euphemistically to refer to abortion.