Newly elected President Joe Biden will revoke the Mexico City Policy that prevents federal funds from going to abortions abroad, Dr. Anthony Fauci said Thursday.
“It will be our policy to support women’s and girls’ sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights in the United States, as well as globally,” Fauci said, according to prepared transcripts of Thursday’s World Health Organization executive board meeting. “To that end, President Biden will be revoking the Mexico City Policy in the coming days, as part of his broader commitment to protect women’s health and advance gender equality at home and around the world.”
The Mexico City Policy, otherwise known as the “Global Gag Rule,” requires overseas organizations that are receiving aid from the United States not to promote abortion. The policy was first established by former President Ronald Reagan in 1984.
Former President Barack Obama rescinded the policy in 2009, but President Donald Trump re-established the Mexico City Policy in January 2017 shortly after he became president of the United States.
Fauci’s comments came only hours after Press Secretary Jen Psaki dodged a question Wednesday night on Biden’s abortion policy by telling reporters that Biden is “a devout Catholic.” (RELATED: Biden Has Promised To Undo These Pro-Life Policies)
EWTN reporter Owen Jensen asked Psaki about “two big concerns for pro-life America:” the Hyde Amendment, which bans the use of federal funds for abortions, and the Mexico City Policy, which bars foreign organizations from receiving U.S. funding from providing abortions.
“Well, I think we’ll have more to say on the Mexico City Policy in the coming days,” Psaki responded, “but I will just take the opportunity to remind all of you that he is a devout Catholic and somebody who attends church regularly.” (RELATED: Biden Attends Mass At St. Matthew’s Cathedral In DC Ahead Of Inauguration)
“He started his day attending church with his family this morning,” Psaki continued. “But I don’t have anything more for you on that.”
Biden previously floated funding abortion as a solution to overpopulation in poor countries at a February 2020 town hall in South Carolina. An audience member attending the town hall had asked Biden what he would do to “empower women” in poor countries to address overpopulation.
“I strongly oppose the limitations on the ability for the United States to contribute to organizations in these countries that, in fact, provide women’s health alternatives for choice,” Biden said.
“We should end that limitation,” he added. “It’s called the Mexico City Rule. We should end that.”
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