Where is the compassion in de-funding a program that saves the lives of refugee women and children?
This afternoon the Senate Appropriations Committee will take up the Commerce, Justice, State Appropriations bill. The committee is expected to approve additional language that would block implementation of the expansion of the global gag rule, which was announced by President Bush at the start of the Labor Day weekend. Taking advantage of the summer lull that peaks on the Friday afternoon before Labor Day weekend, President Bush issued a memorandum that extended the global gag rule to family planning funds administered by the U.S. Department of State. Planned Parenthood Federation of America applauds the committees move. The Senate has already spoken on this issue this summer when it voted to repeal the global gag rule by adopting the Global Democracy Promotion Act authored by Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), in a vote of 53-43, as an amendment to the Foreign Assistance Act. The Appropriations Committees action today sends a message: real leaders are willing to put good policy before bad pol
