Barbara Boxer: “within 48 hours of assuming the Presidency, President Bush issued a policy that will hurt the women of the world. A…”

“within 48 hours of assuming the Presidency, President Bush issued a policy that will hurt the women of the world. A policy that takes us back to the 1980s, rather than ahead to the new century. His policy, the Mexico City gag rule, cuts U.S. funding to any organization that uses its own funds to provide abortion services. It even cuts U.S. funds if the organization uses its own funds to simply counsel women on all their options which include abortions. As a result, many organizations will be forced to either limit their services or simply close their doors to women across the world. And, this will cause women and families increased misery and death. The current facts are chilling. Approximately 78,000 women throughout the world die each year as a result of unsafe abortions. At least one-fourth of all unsafe abortions in the world are to girls aged 15-19. By 2015, contraceptive needs in developing countries will grow by more than 40 percent. Make no mistake, the Mexican city gag rule will restrict family planning, not abortions.”