“It will be our policy to support women’s and girls’ sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights in the United States, as well as globally,” Fauci, who is the newly appointed chief medical adviser to the president, announced in statements to the World Health Organization.
“To that end, President Biden will be revoking the Mexico City Policy in the coming days, as part of his broader commitment to protect women’s health and advance gender equality at home and around the world.”
Former President Donald Trump in 2017 had reestablished the so-called Mexico City Policy, a Reagan-era rule that forbids the United States from giving financial assistance to abortion centers and programs overseas. He later developed it to include all global health assistance, including funding for HIV, maternal and child health, and malaria.
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The policy was further extended to decline funding to foreign NGOs that provide funding to other overseas groups that maintain or encourage abortions, in what has been defined as “backdoor funding schemes.”
“As a result of my decision today, we are also making clear, we will refuse to provide assistance to foreign NGOs that give financial support to other foreign groups in the global abortion industry,” former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced in March 2019. “We will enforce a strict prohibition on backdoor funding schemes … American taxpayer dollars will not be used to underwrite abortions.”
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Biden throughout his campaign had pledged to cancel the policy, according to his campaign website.
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It is not surprising for a Democratic president to cancel the policy. For decades, Republican presidents would reinstall the rule, while Democrat presidents would cancel it. President Barack Obama overturned the Reagan rule in 2009.
Trump was a strong advocate for pro-life and religious freedoms throughout his presidency, launching orders and proclamations that required his administration to defend the sanctity of life and unborn children, as well as ensure religious exemptions in policies.
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In contrast, Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have both shown support for abortions, and are attempting to roll back Trump policies restricting abortions. Throughout their campaign, they have signaled that they would make efforts to codify the Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortions in all 50 states.
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Throughout his campaign, Biden vowed to expand access to contraception as well as “protect the constitutional right to an abortion.” He also supports repealing the Hyde Amendment that blocks federal funds from being used in abortion services.
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