Decisions on International Family Planning Funding and Policy Await Congress After August Recess

Washington DC - August 29, 2005

On June 28, 2005, the U.S. House of Representatives approved by a vote of 393-32 the fiscal year (FY) 2006 spending bill for Foreign Operations. Included in this annual appropriations bill is funding for all U.S. international development assistance, including family planning and reproductive health (FP/RH) programs.

The FY 2006 bill (H.R. 3057) largely maintains the status quo for FP/RH programs. The bill provides a total of $432 million, a slight increase above the President’s request of $425 million and a slight reduction below the current level of $441 million. In addition, the bill includes $34 million for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), subject to the restrictions of the 1984 Kemp-Kasten amendment. For the past four years, the Bush Administration has unjustifiably invoked Kemp-Kasten and withheld more than $90 million in U.S. funding for UNFPA, incorrectly alleging that UNFPA supports involuntary sterilization and coercive abortion practices in China.

On July 20, the Senate by a vote of 98-1 passed its own version of the FY 2006 Foreign Operations bill. As has been the case in recent years, the Senate bill contains more favorable treatment of FP/RH funding and policy issues. Thanks to the strong leadership of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), the Senate bill increases FP/RH funding to $450 million and repeals the destructive Global Gag Rule. In addition, the Senate bill would help ensure $35 million in U.S. funding for UNFPA by making it harder for the Bush Administration to cut off funding for the organization.

When Congress returns after Labor Day, House and Senate negotiators will begin working to reconcile the two different versions of the Foreign Operations bill. Due to strong opposition from the House Republican leadership and the Bush Administration, the favorable FP/RH provisions in the Senate bill will likely be removed in the final bill. As a result, U.S. funding will continue to fall further and further behind in meeting the most basic family planning and reproductive health needs of women in the developing world. U.S. FP/RH funding has fallen 35 percent (more than $100 million) in the last 10 years. In addition, the Global Gag Rule will continue to cut off the supply of desperately needed contraceptives and condoms in parts of the developing world.

With half of the world’s population under age 25, more young people than ever before are beginning to enter their reproductive years. For example, in Nigeria the number of women of reproductive age is projected to double in the next 25 years. Already more than 200 million women in the developing world wish to delay or end childbearing but do not have access to modern and effective contraceptives (including condoms). The shortfall of these contraceptive supplies will become even more severe as the populations of many countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and south Asia are projected to double and triple in the next 45 years.

Population Action International (PAI) works to improve individual well-being and preserve global resources by mobilizing political and financial support for population, family planning and reproductive health policies and programs.