On the Hill: House Foreign Affairs Committee Votes to End Support for UNFPA

In a strict party-line vote, the Republican-led House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee voted 23-17 yesterday to prohibit United States financial support for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). President Barack Obama had requested $50 million for the group. In denying this request, Republicans cited UNFPA's work in China, where they believe funds could be used to coercively enforce that country's one-child policy. Democrats on the committee offered various amendments to allow U.S. money to UNFPA to be directed to specific programs, such as ending child marriage and female genital mutilation, preventing and repairing obstetric fistula, and providing safe birth kits to pregnant women following a natural disaster. Republicans uniformly voted against each one. We will continue to keep you updated on this and other policy developments.