Senate passes Boxer amendment end Global Gag Rule on int. family planning

[paineinthearse]

Received from BB via email

From: "U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer"
Subject: Senator Boxer: Victory for Choice
Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 18:55:38 -0700

I thought you would be interested in the following message.

===================================================

Dear Friend:

Last week, the United States Senate voted on an important issue
for women’s health worldwide. It passed my amendment to repeal
the Global Gag Rule on international family planning
assistance.

On George W. Bush’s first day as President, he issued an
executive order reinstating the Global Gag Rule on
international family planning assistance. First enacted by
President Reagan, the Global Gag Rule denied U.S. family
planning assistance to international organizations that use
their own privately raised funds to counsel women on the
availability of abortion, advocate for changes to abortion
laws, or provide abortion services. Under this order,
international family planning organizations have two choices;
they can refuse U.S. assistance or give up the right to speak
freely regarding all the options available to women.

Supporters say the Global Gag Rule is needed to ensure that
taxpayer funds are not used to pay for overseas abortions. The
Helms Amendment of 1973, however, already banned the use of
taxpayer funds for overseas abortions. Instead, this
administration’s order, issued on the anniversary of Roe v.
Wade, is an attempt to chip away at abortion rights.

Almost 200 million couples throughout the world need reliable
family planning counseling and assistance. The Global Gag
Rule denies essential family planning services, such as
pregnancy prevention, contraception, and HIV services, to women
most in need throughout the world. By restricting U.S. aid to
organizations that already fund their own abortion services,
the administration is exacerbating the very problem it seeks to
address, resulting in more unintended pregnancies, and, in
turn, more abortions. Countless women die each year because of
unsafe abortions. The Global Gag Rule prevents efforts to
address this problem.

I am committed to overturning the Global Gag Rule. It hinders
the ability of international family planning organizations to
provide necessary services, and it restricts a free exchange of
new ideas. Though this is just an initial step in having the
Global Gag Rule overturned, I will do everything I can, as a
Senator, to do so.

To see Senator Boxer’s action on the floor of the Senate, go to
http://boxer.senate.gov/senate/index.cfm.

Sincerely,


Barbara Boxer
United States Senator

===================================================

For more information on Senator Boxer's record and other
information, please go to: http://www.boxer.senate.gov

If you would like to make a comment regarding this or any other
federal matter, please feel free to do so at:
http://www.boxer.senate.gov/contact/webform.cfm

[radfringe]

1. good news

thanks for passing it along... :)

[MaineDem]

2. This is getting so little publicity

My two GOP Senators supported Barbara Boxer on this one. (I still don't like them, though.)

I think this is a major step forward.

[paineinthearse]

3. I'd swap Snow and Collins for Lieberman and Nelson any day. nt

[Totally Committed]

4. This is a great thing!

I love Barbara Boxer! The Senate would be completely without a working set if it were not for her.

TC

[Stinky The Clown]

5. Do you mean .... we .... won .... one?

I'm about to pass out.

[proud patriot]

6. Yay!

:woohoo:

[Coexist]

7. Oh I needed some good news

thanks

[paineinthearse]

8. Has the new Boxer fourm started?

I saw a solicitation for interest but no announcement yet.