History of Mexico City Policy in United States
Mexico City Policy under the Reagan Through George W. Bush Administrations and Family Planning-Related Provisions
This section provides a general background of mexico city policy under the reagan through george w. Bush administrations in the framework of the abortion and family planning-related provisions in U.S. foreign assistance and, in special, in relation to Executive Branch Policies and Restrictions. (Note: find more information about Mexico City Policy in this legal Encyclopedia) (Note: find more information about the Reagan and George W. Bush Administrations in this legal Ecyclopedia)At the 1984 International Conference on Population held in Mexico City, the Reagan Administration announced that it would restrict U.S. population assistance by terminating USAID support for any foreign organization—but not national government—that was involved in voluntary abortion activities, even if such activities were undertaken with non-U.S. funds.
The Mexico City policy represented a shift in U.S. population policy. Under the Helms amendment and other abortion and family planning-related restrictions, no U.S. funds could be used directly to pay for the performance of an abortion as a method of family planning or for involuntary sterilizations. However, U.S. and foreign recipients of USAID grants could use their own funds and funds received from other sources to engage, where legal, in abortion-related activities—though they were required to maintain segregated accounts for U.S. money in order to demonstrate compliance with the abortion restrictions. Under the Mexico City policy, foreign NGOs were required to certify in writing that they did not, and would not during the time of the funding agreement, perform or actively promote abortion as a method of family planning as a condition for receiving USAID family planning assistance.
More Details about Mexico City Policy under the Reagan Through George W. Bush Administrations
During the George H. W. Bush Administration, several Members of Congress attempted unsuccessfully to overturn the Mexico City policy, arguing that existing congressional restrictions, such as the Helms and Biden amendments, were sufficient. President Clinton, in a January 22, 1993, memo to USAID, lifted restrictions imposed by the Reagan and George H. W. Bush Administrations on grants to family planning NGOs—in effect ending the Mexico City policy. On January 22, 2001, however, President George W. Bush revoked the Clinton Administration memorandum and restored the Mexico City restrictions for the next eight years. He also directed that the restrictions be expanded to State Department programs in the same way they applied to USAID activities. In addition, he clarified that the Mexico City policy did not prohibit the use of U.S. family planning assistance toward post-abortion care [48].
Note: Based on the Abortion and Family Planning-Related Provisions in U.S. Foreign Assistance Law and Policy Report.
Resources
Notes and References
48 White House, “Memorandum for the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, Subject: Restoration of the Mexico City Policy,” January 22, 2001.