WASHINGTON, D.C., SEPT. 11, 2007 (Zenit.org).- A spokeswoman for the U.S. bishops' pro-life committee welcomed one Senate vote while lamenting another.
Deirdre McQuade welcomed Monday's decision to maintain a longstanding federal law against any involvement in coercive abortion programs overseas.
But she expressed disappointment at last Thursday's vote to overturn the so-called Mexico City policy, which denies U.S. funds to organizations that perform and promote abortion as a method of family planning.
Both votes took place during debate on the State Department/Foreign Operations appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2008.
On Sept. 6, the Senate voted 48-45 to approve an amendment by Senator Sam Brownback to restore the Kemp-Kasten Amendment, deleted from the bill in committee.
Since 1985, this provision has denied U.S. funds to any organization or program that "supports or participates in the management of a program of coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization."
But by a vote of 53-41, the Senate passed an amendment by Senator Barbara Boxer to overturn the Mexico City policy. An amendment offered by Senator Brownback to reinstate the policy was defeated.
McQuade said, "After witnessing their good sense on the Kemp-Kasten provision, I am extremely disheartened to see our Senators reject the Mexico City policy."
Veto
In a letter sent to senators before the votes, Cardinal Justin Rigali, archbishop of Philadelphia and chairman of the U.S. bishops' committee for pro-life activities, had urged senators to preserve both the Mexico City and Kemp-Kasten policies.
Without the Mexico City policy, the cardinal said, "abortion-promoting organizations will exploit their status as the conduits for U.S. aid to promote abortion to vulnerable women in the Third World."
Also before the votes, President George Bush reaffirmed his pledge to veto any appropriations bill that "weakens current federal policies and laws on abortion."
McQuade expressed her appreciation for the president's veto pledge: "We are very grateful to the president for his commitment to these basic, long-standing policies protecting both mother and child."
"We hope and expect," she concluded, "that due to his pledge, and the pledge by many members of Congress to uphold such a veto, the Mexico City Policy will be preserved in law this year."
ZE07091138 - 2007-09-11