�鶹Ů��

President Trump reinstated a policy on Monday that originated in the Reagan era, prohibiting the granting of American foreign aid to health providers abroad who discuss abortion as a family-planning option. United States law already prohibits the use of American taxpayer dollars for abortion services anywhere, including in countries where the procedure is legal. But Mr. Trump’s order takes the prohibition further: It freezes funding to nongovernmental organizations in poor countries if they offer abortion counseling or if they advocate the right to seek abortion in their countries. (Sengupta, 1/23)

The move drew immediate denunciations from family-planning groups and their Democratic allies and praise from pro-life officials and Republicans. Since its inception in 1984, the funding ban — officially known as the “Mexico City policy” and referred to as “the global gag rule” by its critics — has been repealed and reinstated every time a different political party has assumed power in the White House. (McGinley and Goldstein, 1/23)

“I think the president, it’s no secret, has made it very clear that he’s a pro-life president,” White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer told reporters at his first briefing Monday afternoon. “And I think the reinstatement of this policy is not just something that echoes that value, but respects tax payer funding as well, and ensures that we’re standing up not just for life of the unborn, but for also taxpayer funds that are being spent overseas to perform an action that is contrary to the values of this president.” (Hellmann, 1/23)

The full implications are not clear. The U.S. spends more than $10 billion annually on global health — including $607.5 million specifically on reproductive health. And it remains to be seen how much of that goes to groups that currently provide or promote abortion as defined by the policy — and that would opt to give up U.S. aid dollars rather than falling in line. But opponents of the policy are already warning that many groups will be forced to give up their funding. (Aizenman, 1/23)

The House Rules Committee on Monday reported out a rule (H Res 55) that would provide for floor consideration of a measure to permanently prohibit the use of federal funds and resources to provide for abortion or abortion coverage.The rule, approved in an 8-4 vote, would provide for no amendments to a bill (HR 7) that would also prohibit individuals and small businesses from receiving federal subsidies under the 2010 health care overhaul (PL 111-148, PL 111-152) to purchase health care plans that cover abortions. (1/23)

Abortion opponents expressed optimism Monday that President Donald Trump's early months in office would advance their cause as hundreds converged on the Kansas Statehouse to mark the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide. Trump, inaugurated Friday, has promised to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court with what he has called a "pro-life" justice and has said he would sign anti-abortion measures approved by the Republican-controlled Congress. (Hanna, 1/23)

GOP leaders are seeking to defund Planned Parenthood, President Donald Trump has vowed to appoint abortion foes to the Supreme Court and the Affordable Care Act is on track for repeal. What does it all mean for reproductive health care? (1/24)