[Federal Register: January 28, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 17)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Page 4903-4904]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28ja09-105]
Presidential Documents
___________________________________________________________________
Title 3--
The President
[[Page 4903]]
Memorandum of January 23, 2009
Mexico City Policy and Assistance for Voluntary
Population Planning
Memorandum for the Secretary of State [and] the
Administrator of the United States Agency for
International Development
The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C.
2151b(f)(1)), prohibits nongovernmental organizations
(NGOs) that receive Federal funds from using those
funds ``to pay for the performance of abortions as a
method of family planning, or to motivate or coerce any
person to practice abortions.'' The August 1984
announcement by President Reagan of what has become
known as the ``Mexico City Policy'' directed the United
States Agency for International Development (USAID) to
expand this limitation and withhold USAID funds from
NGOs that use non-USAID funds to engage in a wide range
of activities, including providing advice, counseling,
or information regarding abortion, or lobbying a
foreign government to legalize or make abortion
available. The Mexico City Policy was in effect from
1985 until 1993, when it was rescinded by President
Clinton. President George W. Bush reinstated the policy
in 2001, implementing it through conditions in USAID
grant awards, and subsequently extended the policy to
``voluntary population planning'' assistance provided
by the Department of State.
These excessively broad conditions on grants and
assistance awards are unwarranted. Moreover, they have
undermined efforts to promote safe and effective
voluntary family planning programs in foreign nations.
Accordingly, I hereby revoke the Presidential
memorandum of January 22, 2001, for the Administrator
of USAID (Restoration of the Mexico City Policy), the
Presidential memorandum of March 28, 2001, for the
Administrator of USAID (Restoration of the Mexico City
Policy), and the Presidential memorandum of August 29,
2003, for the Secretary of State (Assistance for
Voluntary Population Planning). In addition, I direct
the Secretary of State and the Administrator of USAID
to take the following actions with respect to
conditions in voluntary population planning assistance
and USAID grants that were imposed pursuant to either
the 2001 or 2003 memoranda and that are not required by
the Foreign Assistance Act or any other law: (1)
immediately waive such conditions in any current
grants, and (2) notify current grantees, as soon as
possible, that these conditions have been waived. I
further direct that the Department of State and USAID
immediately cease imposing these conditions in any
future grants.
This memorandum is not intended to, and does not,
create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural,
enforceable at law or in equity by any party against
the United States, its departments, agencies, or
entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any
other person.
[[Page 4904]]
The Secretary of State is authorized and directed to
publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.
(Presidential Sig.)
THE WHITE HOUSE,
Washington, January 23, 2009
[FR Doc. E9-1923 Filed 1-27-09; 8:45 am]
Billing code 4710-10-P