Sean Patrick Maloney: “First and foremost, family planning helps prevent abortion. No U.S. dollars are used for abortions around the world.…”

“First and foremost, family planning helps prevent abortion. No U.S. dollars are used for abortions around the world. This amendment is about saving women's lives. It is about women dying to the tune of over 600,000 a year. Mr. Chairman, while we are debating this motion to strike, over 65 women will die around the world from pregnancy-related causes. This safe delivery kit costs $1.25; yet it can mean the difference between life and death. Its contents are simple, a plastic sheet, a bar of soap, some gauze, a razor; yet in rural areas and emergency situations, this saves women's lives. The language we are striking restricts the use of a foreign NGOs own funds. In America, this language is unconstitutional. Around the world, it is unconscionable. The gag rule is enough to make us gag. It cripples foreign NGOs ability to practice democracy in their own countries. The United States has always been very proud of exporting what is best about our country, our ideals, democracy; but this bill exports one of the worst, if not the worst of our country, our own internal politics. We cannot afford to stifle the international debate on family planning by tying the hands of NGOs with this antiwoman gag rule.”