Livingston Amendment in United States

Livingston Amendment (1986) and Family Planning-Related Provisions

This section provides a general background of livingston amendment (1986) in the framework of the abortion and family planning-related provisions in U.S. foreign assistance and, in special, in relation to Restrictions or Requirements in Legislation.In 1986, Representative Bob Livingston introduced an amendment as part of FY1987 continuing appropriations that prohibited the United States from discriminating against organizations based on their religious or conscientious commitment to offer only “natural” family planning when awarding related grants:

[I]n awarding grants for natural family planning under section 104 of the Foreign Assistance Act no applicants shall be discriminated against because of such applicant’s religious or conscientious commitment to offer only natural family planning; and, additionally, all such applicants shall comply with the requirements of the previous proviso [DeConcini amendment] [37].

The Livingston amendment is related to the DeConcini amendment, which states that the United States shall only fund family planning projects that offer a range of family planning methods and services, either directly or through referral. The measure ensures that the United States cannot discriminate against organizations that support natural family planning methods when awarding family planning grants and agreements, providing such organizations comply with the DeConcini amendment.

More Details about Livingston Amendment (1986)

The provision has been included in foreign operations appropriations, and it is most recently incorporated into the FY2016 State-Foreign Operations Appropriations Act [38]. It is applied to family planning assistance from any account appropriated under that act.

Note: Based on the Abortion and Family Planning-Related Provisions in U.S. Foreign Assistance Law and Policy Report.

Resources

Notes and References

37 Title II of Section 101 (f) of H.J.Res. 738, P.L. 99-500 (100 Stat. 1783-217), approved October 18, 1986.

38 129 Stat. 2718.

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