Norvell Emerson: “I rise today to state my absolute opposition to the President's proposal to send taxpayer dollars overseas to promote…”

“I rise today to state my absolute opposition to the President's proposal to send taxpayer dollars overseas to promote abortions. We simply cannot allow the administration to continue its policy of ignoring the fundamental rights of the unborn. The argument has been made that family planning funds serve to decrease the number of abortions performed in developing countries. If this is the case and if we are to ensure that family planning programs respect the basic right to life, then the President should not object to the pro-life safeguards on four separate occasions in the last Congress, standing up emphatically for the rights of the unborn. The President's refusal to accept these reasonable safeguards is proof of the underlying abortion agenda of this administration and the international groups which support a similar position. I urge this body to say no to a plan that exports abortion policies to developing countries. The right thing to do is to support the alternative resolution, offered by Representative Chris Smith, which reinstates the Reagan-Bush Mexico City policy protecting the unborn.”