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CAPITOL HILL REPORT
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Is the Organization of American States
Really the Overseas Abortion Segway?
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The Trump administration has been very active on enacting pro-life policy. From declining Planned Parenthood federal funding through changes in Title X and the protection of the Mexico City policy, Trump has proven that he is a dedicated defender of all life both domestically and abroad.
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 Following President Trump’s example, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced in March that the State Department would cut $210,000 in funding given to the Organization of American States (OAS) in an effort to curtail the organization’s efforts to expand abortion access. The OAS is comprised of 35 different countries in the Americas that seek to protect and implement democracy, human rights, security, and development within the region. Under that mission, it is not appropriate for the OAS to promulgate abortion, and it is a violation of the Siljander amendment, which prohibits the use of American taxpayer money from being used to lobby for or against abortion in the international arena.
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Unfortunately, OAS Secretary General Luis Almargro has used his position to support abortion access throughout the Americas. For example, at the UN Women’s Global Leaders Meeting on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment: A Commitment to Action in 2015, Almagro said:
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“From the perspective of women’s rights, we are still facing two major challenges. First, the limitations of the scope and reach of women’s rights: the Americas continue to have some of the most restrictive laws regarding sexual and reproductive rights and freedoms, and that reality has to change.”
In response to these actions, Eagle Forum joined with a coalition of other pro-life organizations, sent a letter on October 3, 2019, to Secretary Pompeo asking that the United States support an alternate candidate for OAS Secretary-General. In part, the letter reads:
“Mr. Almagro’s pro-abortion activism is gravely inappropriate for the Secretary-General of the OAS... His irresponsible behavior puts at risk the legitimacy and authority of the OAS at a time when we need it to be strong and credible to effectively denounce the egregious violations of human rights in Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
We believe that this record of abortion advocacy warrants a change in leadership at the OAS, and respectfully ask that the U.S. support an alternative candidate for the position.”
Eagle Forum thanks the Trump Administration for their dedication to protecting the unborn, and we will continue to encourage the United States to seek ways to model that behavior internationally.
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Questions or legislative concerns, please don't hesitate to contact our D.C. Executive Director Kirsten Hasler directly via email at [email protected]Â or phone at 202-445-8531.
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