President Biden is set to allow federal funds to be used for abortions abroad, by rolling back the Mexico City Policy renewed by the Trump administration, Dr. Anthony Fauci said.
“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 said during remarks 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.”
It’s no surprise; the policy first instituted by Reagan has been ping-ponging on and off depending on which party holds the White House. Reversing it is the kind of action abortion rights advocates are expecting Biden to take soon to reverse Trump abortion/repro rights policies.
— Sarah McCammon?? (@sarahmccammon) January 21, 2021
The policy was first implemented by President Ronald Reagan and has been renewed historically by Republican presidents and reversed by Democratic administrations, including that of former President Obama while Biden served as vice president. Critics deem the regulation a “global gag rule,” but the measure is intended to protect taxpayers from funding abortions, in a similar manner that the Hyde Amendment does. On the first day of the Biden administration, Press Secretary Jen Psaki dodged a question about the president’s support for the Hyde Amendment, which he previously championed with a host of Republicans and Democrats.
