HR 1117 IH
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1117
To provide a United States voluntary contribution to the United
Nations Population Fund.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 20, 2001
Mrs. MALONEY of New York (for herself, Mr. KIRK, Mr. CROWLEY, Mr. LEACH, Mr.
HOEFFEL, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. BERMAN, Mr. WAXMAN, Mr. FILNER, Mr. ENGEL, Mr.
CUMMINGS, Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania, Mr. PALLONE, Mrs. THURMAN, Ms. JACKSON-LEE
of Texas, Mr. SAWYER, Ms. BROWN of Florida, Mr. JEFFERSON, Ms. MCKINNEY, Mr.
SANDERS, Ms. LEE, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. CAPUANO, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. TOWNS, Mr.
SHERMAN, Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon, Mrs. MINK of Hawaii, Mr. UDALL of Colorado, Mr.
FARR of California, Mr. NADLER, Mr. GONZALEZ, Mr. MORAN of Virginia, Mr.
HINCHEY, Mr. ALLEN, Mrs. MORELLA, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. ACKERMAN, Mr. FRANK, Mr.
TIERNEY, Mr. GILMAN, Mr. GREENWOOD, Mr. WYNN, Mr. BALDACCI, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr.
LANTOS, Mr. SHAYS, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mrs. JOHNSON of
Connecticut, Mrs. KELLY, Ms. WATERS, Mrs. MEEK of Florida, Mr. HILLIARD, Mr.
MEEHAN, Mr. RODRIGUEZ, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. STARK, Ms. PELOSI, Ms.
DEGETTE, Mr. WEINER, Mr. PRICE of North Carolina, Ms. NORTON, and Mr. LEVIN)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
International Relations
A BILL
To provide a United States voluntary contribution to the United
Nations Population Fund.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
Funding Act of 2001'.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The renewed commitment of the world community to the formulation of
government policies that contribute to global population stabilization and
to improvements in the status of women owes much to the efforts of the
United Nations and its specialized agencies and organizations, particularly
the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
(2) Over one-half of the UNFPA's assistance is devoted to maternal and
child health programs, including the provision of family planning services,
and it is a major supplier of modern methods of contraception. UNFPA also
supports efforts aimed at preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS and other
sexually-transmitted diseases and activities aimed specifically at enhancing
the status of women.
(3) UNFPA does not fund abortion services, rather, UNFPA seeks to reduce
the incidence of abortion by improving access to contraceptive services and
to reduce deaths and injuries related to unsafe abortion by supporting
treatment of women suffering from its complications.
(4) Operating in over 130 nations in all regions of the world and as a
politically neutral source of funds, UNFPA complements the important work of
the United States Agency for International Development population assistance
program.
(5) The United States contribution to UNFPA last year provided an
estimated 870,000 women in the developing world with effective modern
contraception, thereby preventing 500,000 unintended pregnancies, 200,000
abortions, and thousands of maternal and child deaths.
(6) Many global environmental problems, including water shortages,
pollution, tropical deforestation, and the loss of wildlife habitat are
linked to rapid population growth. UNFPA has assisted countries around the
world plan for and slow population growth, therefore reducing its effects on
the environment.
(7) Assistance provided by UNFPA conforms to the principle, affirmed at
the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development by 180
nations, including the United States, that `all couples and individuals have
the basic right to decide freely and responsibly the number and spacing of
their children and to have the information, education, and means to do
so.'.
(8) UNFPA opposes coercion in any form. All of UNFPA's programs are
designed in conformity with universally recognized human rights
principles.
(9) An appropriate way to express the legitimate concerns of the United
States Government about the population policies of the People's Republic of
China is by placing those concerns on the bilateral agenda along with other
important human rights issues, not by singling out a United Nations agency
by withholding all funding thereby punishing the women and families around
the world who depend on its humanitarian aid.
(10) UNFPA plays a constructive role in helping to reduce the incidence
of coercive practices in China through its country program which has been
successful in eliminating targets and quotas and promoting voluntary family
planning and informed consent in the 32 program counties. By improving
contraceptive method choice, expanding the range of reproductive health
services, and enhancing the status of women, the UNFPA country program will
help to enable the Chinese to operationalize the human rights approach of
the International Conference on Polulation and Development.
SEC. 3. UNITED STATES VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTION TO THE UNITED NATIONS
POPULATION FUND.
In addition to amounts otherwise available to carry out the purposes of
chapter 3 of part 1 of the Foreign
Assistance Act of 1961, there are authorized to be appropriated $35,000,000
for fiscal year 2002 and $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2003 to be available only
for United States voluntary contributions to the United Nations Population Fund.
SEC. 4. LIMITATION ON THE UNITED STATES VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTION TO THE UNITED
NATIONS POPULATION FUND.
(a) LIMITATION- Notwithstanding any other provision of law, of the funds
appropriated for voluntary contributions to the United Nations Population Fund
for each of the fiscal years 2002 and 2003, an amount equal to the amount
allocated by the United Nations Population Fund for the country program in the
People's Republic of China during each fiscal year shall be withheld from
obligation and expenditure if during such fiscal year, the Secretary of State
submits to the appropriate congressional committees the certification
described in subsection (b).
(b) CERTIFICATION- The Secretary of State shall submit a certification
under subsection (a) if the Secretary determines that the country program of
the United Nations Population Fund in the People's Republic of China does not
meet the following criteria--
(1) Focuses on improving the delivery of voluntary family planning
information and services.
(2) Is designed in conformity with the human rights principles affirmed
at the International Conference on Population and Development with the
support of 180 nations including the United States.
(3) Is implemented only in counties of the People's Republic of China
where all quotas and targets for the recruitment of program participants
have been abolished and the use of coercive measures has been
eliminated.
(4) Is carried out in consultation with and under the oversight and
approval of the UNFPA executive board, including the United States
representative.
(5) Is subject to regular independent monitoring to ensure compliance
with the principles of informed consent and voluntary participation.
(6) Suspends operations in project counties found to be in violation of
program guidelines.
END