NGO Abortion Wish List for Biden-Harris
Wednesday, November 15, 2023
 

Over 100 leading pro-abortion organizations released an abortion wish list for the Biden-Harris administration. The 2023 Blueprint for Sexual and Reproductive Health, Rights and Justice Policy Agenda presents additional policies and actions the groups want the Biden-Harris administration take to further advance abortion as part of what they call sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice (SRHRJ).

The groups explain their view that abortion is necessary for gender equality and bodily autonomy stating: “There is no gender equality or bodily autonomy for all without meaningful progress in reproductive justice, freedom, and liberty.”  Translation: Access to the killing of unborn children is reproductive justice, reproductive freedom, and reproductive liberty.

The NGOs say Dobbs “was an attack on bodily autonomy and is part of an ongoing global assault on human rights to undermine access to contraception, sex education, gender-affirming care, the rights of women, girls, and LGBTQIA+ people, and more.” They believe that as a result of Dobbs there are “escalating efforts to undermine sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice here and around the world.”

To counter pro-life movements in the U.S. and overseas, they want the Biden-Harris administration to take action on abortion policy, including on funding for abortion in the U.S. and globally. These include:

  • Work with Congress on budgets that reflect “a commitment” to the “sexual and reproductive health and rights and justice” agenda domestically and globally.
  • Eliminate the Hyde Amendment and its abortion funding restrictions and veto legislation that extends, reiterates, or incorporates the Hyde Amendment and related restrictions, including in annual appropriations bills.
  • Modify the Siljander Amendment to only prohibit the use of U.S. funds to lobby against abortion but allow the funds to be used to lobby in favor of abortion. Eliminate the conscience protections of the Weldon Amendment and commit to veto legislation that would expand it or make it permanent.
  • Launch a comprehensive abortion initiative that would integrate, elevate, and prioritize the abortion agenda across foreign policy priorities and global health, development and humanitarian programs. This includes that all U.S. agencies that administer global health programs and U.S. Missions would “provide clear, ongoing and proactive communication that reflects U.S. support for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).”
  • Conduct education and outreach to the public on use of abortion pills to “combat widespread misinformation regarding medication abortion”.

The wish list seeks includes leadership actions from the Biden-Harris administration including to:

  • Use the White House bully pulpit to promote access to abortion and de-stigmatize abortion.
  • Nominate individuals who have a proven pro-abortion record for all executive-branch positions.
  • Expand the scope and mandate of HHS’s Reproductive Healthcare Access Task Force and develop a national sexual reproductive health rights justice strategy that can be integrated into all federal processes.
  • Champion sexual and reproductive health and rights in diplomacy and multilateral settings and including in outcome documents, policies at international negotiations, and participation in multilateral bodies and executive boards.

Groups signing onto the abortion wish list include: ACLU, Advocates for Youth, AIDS Alliance for Women, Infants, Children, Youth & Families, AIDS United, Catholics for Choice, Center for Reproductive Rights, EngenderHealth, Fòs Feminista, FP2030, Global Fund for Women, Guttmacher Institute, Human Rights Campaign, Ipas, National Abortion Federation, National Organization for Women, Our Bodies Ourselves, PAI, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Population Institute, Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change, The Population Council, Universal Access Project, USA for UNFPA, Women Deliver, and Women's Refugee Commission. 

Many of these organizations are seeking a 5-year reauthorization of over $30 billion for PEPFAR funding with no restrictions on funding for organizations that perform or promote abortion as was the pro-life policy prohibition during the Trump administration.

 


 


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