Russ Feingold: “I strongly oppose coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization, and was pleased that the fiscal year 2008 Foreign…”

“I strongly oppose coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization, and was pleased that the fiscal year 2008 Foreign Operations Appropriations bill included a provision prohibiting U.S. funds from going to any organization or program that directly supports such horrific practices. Unfortunately, the amendment offered by Senator Brownback undermined this provision by allowing the President to deny funds to any organization or program that he claims supports such practices. This administration has misused similar language to deny resources to the United Nations Population Fund simply because this agency has programs in China, where the government practices coercive abortions to enforce its one child policy. In fact, however, the UNFPA's program in China is specifically designed to pressure the Chinese to end the use of coercive tactics, and this amendment would undermine the good work that the UNFPA does.”