Congress locks in abortion funding ban for foreign aid—permanently
S. 334 — American Values Act · Filed by James Risch (R-ID) · 14 cosponsors · Introduced Jan 30, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill makes permanent two existing restrictions on U.S. foreign aid: (1) Foreign Assistance Act funds cannot pay for abortions, involuntary sterilizations, abortion-related research, abortion lobbying, or organizations that perform coercive reproductive procedures; (2) Peace Corps funds cannot pay for abortions. These restrictions have been enacted annually in appropriations bills; this bill codifies them into permanent law.
Why we flagged it
The bill's sole function is to convert temporary annual appropriations riders into permanent statutory law. It does not create new policy but rather locks existing restrictions into the Foreign Assistance Act and Peace Corps Act, removing the need for annual re-authorization.
What the text implies
- Permanent codification removes annual legislative opportunity to revisit or modify these restrictions, shifting the burden to future bills seeking to repeal or amend them rather than allowing them to lapse.
- The phrase 'as determined by the President' in § 104(f)(5) grants the President broad discretion to designate organizations as supporting coercive practices, potentially enabling selective enforcement or political targeting of NGOs.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who it affects
U.S. citizens do not directly receive foreign aid funds, so the bill's primary effect is on international beneficiaries and U.S.