Abortion

Floor Speech

ABORTION -- (House of Representatives - January 21, 2009)

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Mr. LAMBORN. I thank the gentleman for yielding and, most of all, for his leadership on this vital interest of protecting life. So, thank you, Representative Smith, for the years of dedication and for that of your wife as well.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the sanctity of all human life. Last Friday, in a bipartisan effort that I initiated, 78 Members of Congress sent a letter urging President Obama to continue the Mexico City Policy, which separates abortion and family planning in America's foreign aid programs.

President Reagan first issued this Executive order in 1984. This policy, the Mexico City Policy, establishes a bright line between family planning activities and abortion, therefore ensuring that U.S. family planning funds are not co-opted by groups who promote abortion or provide abortion as a method of family planning.

Such activities sends a wrong message overseas that the United States promotes abortion. The Mexico City policy simply assures that taxpayer money is not used overseas to fund highly controversial abortion providers. The controversial debate of abortion has no business being included in foreign aid programs, and the Mexico City policy makes it clear that abortions are not to be funded overseas with U.S. tax dollars.

In these difficult economic times, the American people would not want taxpayers to fund groups that are trying to export abortions all over the world. Also, in a moral sense, it is simply wrong to make all Americans who pay taxes complicit in even the smallest degree with the funding of abortions overseas when tens of millions of Americans believe abortion, elective abortion, is immoral and wrong.

We strongly urge President Obama not to go down this road by forcing American taxpayers to pay for abortions overseas. We urge you, Mr. President, do not get rid of the Mexico City policy.

I thank you.

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