Senators Marshall, Risch Reintroduce Bill to Expand Prohibitions on Use of Foreign Assistance Funding for Abortions

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Roger Marshall, M.D., and James Risch (R-ID) introduced the American Values Act, legislation to permanently enact and expand existing prohibitions on the use of U.S. foreign assistance to pay for the performance or promotion of abortion services overseas.

“As an OBGYN who delivered thousands of babies, I will always fight for our unborn children, both at home and abroad,” Senator Marshall said.  “I’m proud to join Senator Risch in introducing this crucial legislation to protect life and promote true American values abroad.” 

“American foreign aid should always be used in a way that is in line with American values – and that means that no foreign assistance funds should ever be used to perform or promote abortion services,” said Senator Risch. “I’m proud to introduce the American Values Act with my colleagues to hold our government accountable to this standard and protect the sanctity of life across the globe.”

If enacted, this legislation would:

• Clarify that existing prohibitions on the use of U.S. foreign assistance to pay for the performance or promotion of abortions, forced sterilizations, or biomedical research relating to abortions or forced sterilizations shall apply to all assistance under the Foreign Assistance Act;
• Permanently enact long-standing appropriations restrictions on the use of foreign assistance funds to lobby for or against abortion;
• Permanently enact long-standing appropriations restrictions on the provision of foreign assistance funds to organizations that support or participate in the management of a program of coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization; and
• Permanently enact long-standing appropriations restrictions on the use of funds made available to the Peace Corps to pay for abortions.

Full text of the American Values Act can be found here.