by Staff, posted Tuesday, June 09, 2009 (15 years ago)
WASHINGTON (BP)--Leading pro-life and pro-family organizations are calling on the House of Representatives to defeat legislation they say would empower the State Department to promote abortion and homosexuality in other countries.
The National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) urged representatives in a June 5 letter to vote against a State Department authorization bill that would create an Office for Global Women's Issues. Pro-life advocates fear the office would seek to liberalize the legal restrictions on abortion in foreign countries.
On June 8, the Family Research Council (FRC) called for opposition to the bill based not only on its impact on abortion overseas but on what the organization says will be an effort to undermine foreign laws against homosexual and transsexual behavior. The measure would make a priority of a State Department attempt to pressure other countries to rescind laws restricting homosexual and transsexual actions, according to FRC. The bill also would require Foreign Service officers to receive sensitivity training on "sexual orientation and gender identity," FRC said.
The measure, H.R. 2410, is expected to be voted on by the full House as early as June 10.
Unless it is amended, the legislation "will further empower the Obama Administration to pursue its agenda of undermining the pro-life laws of sovereign nations," NRLC legislative director Douglas Johnson said in the letter to House members. "To the extent that the Administration succeeds in such efforts, it will greatly increase the number of abortions."
Rep. Chris Smith, R.-N.J., sought May 20 to amend the bill to block the office from efforts to repeal anti-abortion laws overseas. Read More
