The Democratic Women of the House plan to use parliamentary measures today to protest the Republican leadership's unfair rule on the Foreign Operations Appropriations bill. The rule makes in order a Smith amendment to reinstate the gag rule on international family planning and to defund the UN Fund for Population Activities. In a Republican backroom deal, the Rules Committee made in order as an alternative to the Smith amendment the Campbell-Greenwood amendment which failed to pass the House only weeks ago. But the Republican leadership did not allow a bipartisan amendment which had a better chance of success.
Democratic Women Members of the House have taken the lead on this issue of importance to families worldwide. Yet no Democratic Congresswomen were included in this backroom discussion. No Democratic Congresswomen were consulted on the fate of this program that dramatically improves the health and chances of survival of both mothers and their children. No Congresswomen were allowed to offer an alternative that could have had a better chance at passage.
The Democratic Women of the House plan to make this an issue for the GOP leadership today by calling for "motions to adjourn" throughout the balance of the legislative business day. ‘Dear Colleague' letters from the Democratic Women Members of the House have also been circulated, alerting Members to the assault on International Family Planning. A copy of the letter, with signatures, is attached to this release.
