Senate Rejects Effort to Reinstate Mexico City Policy

Americans are fortunate to have dedicated pro-life leaders in the Senate like Senator Martinez.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (LifeSiteNews.com) - The U.S. Senate today defeated an amendment, introduced by Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL), that would have restored the Mexico City Policy to the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) bill.

President Obama rescinded the Mexico City Policy last Friday, January 23, 2009, allowing U.S. international aid dollars to flow to nongovernmental organizations that perform or promote abortions abroad.

"This policy is not about reducing aid," Martinez said. "It is instead about ensuring that family planning funds are given to organizations dedicated to reducing abortions instead of promoting them."

The Martinez amendment failed by a vote of 37-60.

Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser responded to news of the defeat of the amendment, saying: "I am disappointed by the U.S. Senate's decision to vote the amendment down and back President Obama's radical abortion bailout agenda.

"Americans are fortunate to have dedicated pro-life leaders in the Senate like Senator Martinez who are willing to promote real assistance for mothers abroad - aid that upholds the dignity of women and families, and doesn't rely upon subsidizing abortions at every turn."

Through the Susan B. Anthony List Stop the Abortion Bailout! Campaign (http://www.stoptheabortionbailout.com), over 82,000 letters have been sent to the U.S. Senate advocating the preservation of federal abortion funding restrictions. The campaign's goal is to secure the 41 votes necessary to sustain a filibuster against measures promoting federal taxpayer funding of abortion.

President Reagan first established the pro-life Mexico City Policy in 1984. Named for the city where it was announced, the policy declared that American tax dollars would not fund nongovernmental organizations involved in performing or promoting abortions abroad. President Bill Clinton rescinded the policy his first day in office. President G.W. Bush reinstated the policy as his first executive order on January 22, 2001.

While the Senate attempt at reinstating the policy has failed, it was revealed today that Rep. Chris Smith has introduced a bill in the House that would reinstate the Mexico City Policy.

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