Congress moves to restore abortion counseling aid to foreign nonprofits
H.R. 764 — Global Health, Empowerment and Rights Act · Filed by Lois Frankel (D-FL) · 138 cosponsors · Introduced Jan 28, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill removes two restrictions on foreign nonprofits receiving U.S. foreign aid under Part I of the Foreign Assistance Act. It prohibits the U.S. government from denying aid to foreign NGOs solely because they provide health services (including abortion counseling) with their own money, and it bars the U.S. from imposing stricter rules on foreign NGOs' advocacy and lobbying than it applies to American NGOs receiving the same aid.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core function is to remove two specific eligibility restrictions on foreign NGOs receiving U.S. foreign aid, making the aid program more inclusive and less conditional on activities funded by non-U.S. sources.
What the text implies
- The bill removes the so-called 'Mexico City Policy' (also known as the 'global gag rule') restriction that bars aid to foreign NGOs providing abortion counseling or referral services with their own funds—a longstanding partisan flashpoint that has been toggled on and off by successive administrations.
- By equalizing advocacy restrictions between foreign and domestic NGOs, the bill may increase U.S. funding for political advocacy and lobbying by foreign organizations, potentially amplifying foreign voices in policy debates funded by American taxpayers.
The full analysis lists 3 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
foreign nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) providing health services; international reproductive health organizations; foreign advocacy and lobbying organizations