President-elect Trump is expected to reinstate a controversial policy soon after taking office that would bar foreign nongovernmental organizations that perform, counsel on or provide information on abortions abroad from receiving U.S. funding.
The Mexico City Policy, referred to as the global gag rule by its opponents, was first introduced during the second Reagan administration and has been rescinded by every Democratic president and reinstated by every Republican president since then. Trump previously restored the policy four days into his first term before President Biden rescinded it again a week into his own.
Proponents of the policy claim that it prevents U.S. taxpayer funds from being spent on abortions. But opponents stress that there is legislation in place — like the Helms Amendment — that already protects taxpayer funds from being used on abortions abroad.
Instead, they argue, the global gag rule imposes restrictions that diminish the effectiveness of global health programs.
“It’s like putting a brand-new red sock into a white load of laundry, it taints everything that’s around it,” said Rachel Clement, senior director of U.S. government strategy at the Population Action International, a nongovernmental organization that works to increase global access to family planning and reproductive care.
Even though the U.S. does not fund abortions overseas, nongovernmental organizations that perform, provide counseling on or information on abortions are still eligible to receive funding from the U.S. if they use separate funds to pay for abortion-related work.