No Funds for Foreign Abortions Act
No Funds for Foreign Abortions Act would bar United States foreign-assistance funds from being obligated or expended to foreign governments or to non-governmental or multilateral entities that subsidize, perform, promote, or otherwise support abortion abroad. It codifies the Mexico City Policy into law, extending the U.S. restriction to governments and organizations that fund or facilitate abortion-related activities, even indirectly. The bill creates detailed definitions (including what counts as abortion, actively promoting abortion, and what constitutes a foreign NGO or multilateral entity), and it authorizes certification, monitoring, and penalties to enforce compliance. Notably, it allows exceptions for abortions resulting from rape or incest and applies to activities conducted outside the United States, including by U.S.-based entities operating abroad. Key features include strict enforcement mechanisms (suspension of funds pending investigations, potential debt repayment, and a minimum three-year ineligibility for violators), broad reach to cover indirect funding and multilateral bodies, and comprehensive record-keeping and reporting requirements. The bill aims to prevent U.S. funds from supporting abortion services or advocacy overseas and to ensure compliance through audits and possible legal action.
Key Points
- 1Prohibition on funding foreign governments that fund or promote abortion abroad. This includes direct/indirect funding to governments or entities they control, for performing abortions, promoting abortion, providing abortion-related items, coercing abortions or sterilization, or funding abortion-related biomedical research.
- 2Prohibition on funding foreign NGOs and multilateral entities that perform, promote, or otherwise support abortion activities, including indirect funding and activities funded through intermediaries or international bodies.
- 3Codification of the Mexico City Policy into statute, ensuring U.S. funds do not support organizations that perform or promote abortion overseas, with applicability to all funding sources and mechanisms.
- 4Certification, monitoring, and penalties. The Secretary of State must certify compliance before funds are obligated or expended and annually thereafter; monitoring and audits must be conducted, with potential suspension of funds during investigations; penalties for violations include termination of assistance, repayment of misused funds, ineligibility for at least three years, and possible referral to the Attorney General for civil/criminal enforcement.
- 5Scope and definitions. The bill defines abortion, actively promotes abortion, foreign nongovernmental organizations, indirect funding, multilateral entities, pre-viability separation procedures, and public funds; it applies to activities outside the U.S. and to U.S.-based entities operating abroad; includes an exception for abortions resulting from rape or incest.