Rep. Corrine Brown: “I rise in support of the Lee language included in this bill. President Bush's gag rule is a destructive policy that…”

“I rise in support of the Lee language included in this bill. President Bush's gag rule is a destructive policy that threatens women's health around the world. This is not about abortion or protecting the tax money of the American people. This is about the fact that each year, more than 600 thousand women die of pregnancy-related deaths that are preventable. This is about the fact that more than 150 million married women in developing nations want contraceptives, but have no access to them. This is about giving women an option, and some control over their lives. The Global Gag Rule does not prevent abortions. Instead, it forces women around the world to resort to life-threatening acts of desperation in the attempt to get rid of unwanted pregnancies. Mr. Speaker I have met with family planning providers from across the world and they consider this aid to be the most important assistance they receive from the United States--especially the providers from the former Soviet Union and African nations. This is not about promoting abortion--it's about helping women and their families. Remember, foreign countries have been prohibited from using US funds for abortions since 1973. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support the Lee language in this bill.”