Appropriations Watch - State, Foreign Operations - Senate Version

This post is an update on the previous post about pro-life policy in State, Foreign Operations appropriations bill.

The Senate Appropriations Committee passed the Senate version of the bill on June 28, 2007. This bill makes two significant changes to long-standing pro-life provisions: the Mexico City Policy and the Kemp-Kasten provision.

Mexico City is undermined in the same manner as it is in the House version. (Note: when voted on in the House, the number of votes against the Lowey Amendment and for the Smith Amendment were more than enough needed to sustain a veto.)

Kemp-Kasten provision is rendered entirely ineffective by:

• removing the President's authority to invoke the provision,
• significantly watering down the standard for prohibited activities, and
• setting an impossible standard for it to be invoked by only applying the provision to direct support for coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization.

If the Senate language were enacted, U.S. taxpayer funds would flow to the U.N. Population Fund which helps manage China's one-child policy and forced abortion program which even the Chinese don't want.

If these policies pass, the United States would be supporting the management of coercive abortion programs.

Pray these provisions do not make it into law and would be vetoed if necessary.