Joe Crowley: “Last year Congress and the President agreed to fund UNPFA, the United Nations Population Fund, at $34 million. Now the…”

“Last year Congress and the President agreed to fund UNPFA, the United Nations Population Fund, at $34 million. Now the administration has said they will not spend the funds appropriated by Congress in accordance with the bipartisan deal that was made. They say that UNPFA performs abortions and points to their work in China. What opponents do not say is that UNPFA does not perform abortions, not in China, not in Africa, and not in Latin America. They never have, and they never will. My colleagues know U.S. law prevents them from doing so. Secretary Colin Powell and U.N. Ambassador John Negroponte know this as well. President Bush knows this. That is why in his first budget in Congress he asked for $25 million and most recently, last fall, approved US money for UNPFA for Afghan refugee women's health care. Our country disagrees with the family planning policies of the Chinese Government. We all want change, and change will come through groups like UNPFA and USAID, who work to encourage voluntary family planning to control a surging population. But let us not tie up $34 million in funding that will save women's lives and children's lives around the world, to prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS and to improve child health survival. President Bush said that we fight the Taliban to give hope to women in Afghanistan. Let us fulfill the commitment of Congress to give hope to all women around the world.”