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Davis is out front on family planning 'gag rule'

Rep. Jo Ann Davis, a leader in the fight to expand the 'gag rule,' also worked to have funds withheld from the U.N.'s family planning organization.

By RICK MERCIER

Date published: 3/10/2003

By Rick Mercier But U.S. policy is causing more abortions, critic says

There are many reasons to be happy about a Republican-controlled Congress and White House, said Rep. James Greenwood, R-Pa.

"But one of them is not the area of reproductive rights," he said. "Unfortunately, our party has been co-opted by so-called religious or neo-conservatives."

Greenwood believes social conservatives are misguided on the issue of international family planning programs.

"They have persuaded themselves that if they cut funding to agencies that provide or counsel on abortions, that somehow that will actually reduce abortions. The fallacy of that argument is in places like Kenya, where self-induced abortions are very common," he said.

Greenwood, who visited Kenya last year to learn about reproductive-health issues, said his trip to the East African nation convinced him that the Mexico City policy--which denies U.S. population aid to groups that perform or counsel on abortions--"probably results in a net increase" in abortions because of reduced access to the full range of family planning services.

Fellow Republican Rep. Jo Ann Davis, whose 1st District includes the Fredericksburg area, strongly disagrees with Greenwood's assessment. She's been an enthusiastic supporter of the Mexico City policy, which was implemented by President Reagan during a population conference in the Mexican capital, rescinded by President Clinton, then reinstated by President Bush in January 2001.

During a May 2001 debate over the rule in the House of Representatives, Davis criticized "pro-abortion advocates" for "attempting to paint this policy as anti-family."

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Date published: 3/10/2003