U.S. Representative Mike Kelly votes to defund UN program that supports forced sterilization and coercive abortion in China

Pro-life Legislation Co-Sponsored by Representative Mike Kelly Gets Voted Out of House Committee on Foreign Affairs

H.R. 2059 moves closer toward full House vote to defund controversial United Nations Population Fund

Washington, D.C. — Today, H.R. 2059, which would end taxpayer funding of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), was voted out of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, moving the pro-life legislation one step closer to a full vote on the House floor. Co-sponsored by Representative Mike Kelly (PA-03), H.R. 2059 would prohibit funding for UNFPA based on its longstanding support of and participation in China’s one-child policy, which involves forced sterilization and coercive abortion to meet the nation’s strict population control mandate, and has resulted in a decrease in China’s population by as many as 400 million people.

For years, the United States refused to fund the UNFPA. However, in March 2009, President Obama reinstated funding, and has since contributed $145 million in taxpayer funds to the controversial program. If enacted, H.R. 2059 would save $400 million over 10 years by eliminating all U.S. contributions to UNFPA.

Rep. Kelly issued the following statement:

“The United States once took a principled stance against the UNFPA and its support of China’s inhumane practice of forced sterilization and coercive abortion. The fact that the Obama administration reversed this longstanding position shows a dangerous shift in our foreign policy. At its core, the UNFPA threatens the very rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness that our great nation believes are afforded to all men and women.

“This program is an affront to our American values, and a threat to human rights everywhere. It’s an outrage that taxpayer dollars have funded this program to the tune of $145 million in recent years, and I’ll continue my efforts to make sure that this indefensible chapter in our foreign aid history comes to an immediate close.”

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