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new4now ago

The battle of funds for worldwide abortions..........

President Obama repealed rules on Friday that restricted federal money for international organizations that promote or provide abortions overseas, sweeping aside a pillar of the social policy architecture of George W. Bush’s presidency

The executive order that Mr. Obama signed reverses one of the first measures enacted by Mr. Bush when he took over the White House eight years ago and capped an opening-week flurry of action intended to signal a sharp break from the past in domestic and foreign arenas.

“For the past eight years, they have undermined efforts to promote safe and effective voluntary family planning in developing countries,” Mr. Obama said of the restrictions. “For these reasons, it is right for us to rescind this policy and restore critical efforts to protect and empower women and promote global economic development.”

The policy has become a symbolic and substantive football in Washington politics over the years. President Ronald Reagan first imposed the ban in 1984 when it was announced at a conference in Mexico City. President Bill Clinton lifted it a couple of days after taking office in 1993. Mr. Bush restored it a couple of days after he took office in 2001, and advocates on both sides expected Mr. Obama to lift it again.

The only surprise was that Mr. Obama acted a day after the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision establishing a constitutional right to abortion, rather than on the day itself as the last two presidents did. Mr. Obama did little to call attention to his move, issuing his comments only in writing and releasing the order after 7 p.m. Friday.

“President Obama will be remembered forever not just as a smart, savvy, gifted and eloquent leader — but as the Abortion President,” Representative Christopher H. Smith, Republican of New Jersey and co-chairman of the House Bipartisan Pro-Life Caucus, said in a written statement.

“President Obama’s actions will help reduce the number of unintended pregnancies, abortions and women dying from high-risk pregnancies because they don’t have access to family planning,” said Tod Preston, a vice president at Population Action International.

Word of the order was received enthusiastically at a meeting on population trends at the University of California, Berkeley. Many of the gathered experts work for family planning organizations that face declining flows of government and private aid.

“It is actually a great day for those who oppose abortion,” said Steven W. Sinding, a past director-general of the International Planned Parenthood Federation and population adviser to the World Bank. “This will help many of the most effective providers of family planning services to enable women to avoid unwanted pregnancies.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/24/us/politics/24obama.html

@carmencita