U.S. House Votes to Keep Abortion out of HIV/AIDS Relief

By | October 5, 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C., October 6 (C-Fam) Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) took to the House floor last week and reminded lawmakers that Africans do not want money for HIV/AIDS relief going to pro-abortion groups. Smith read a letter from 131 African lawmakers and religious leaders that put this in the strongest terms.

“We ask that PEPFAR remain true to its original mission and respect our norms, traditions, and values. We ask that those partner organizations with whom the U.S. government partners to implement PEPFAR programs in ways that are cognizant and respectful of our beliefs and not cross over into promoting divisive ideas and practices that are not consistent with those of Africa.”

Their plea seemed to have some effect as House Republicans voted to block international abortion groups from receiving HIV/AIDS funding in the 2024 State and Foreign Operations funding bill. The bill passed last week mostly along party lines with just two Democrats in support.

Up for reauthorization every five years, the long-standing $6 billion a year federal program to deliver HIV/AIDS relief to poor countries stalled in Congress over Democrat refusal to include pro-life language. The foreign aid bill continues to fund PEPFAR for an additional year while Congress debates the reauthorization.

Republican lawmakers and dozens of pro-life organizations claim PEPFAR has enriched organizations that promote abortion internationally and within countries.

We should have “no doubt of the pro-abortion goals of this administration,” Smith said on the House Floor prior to the vote. He referred specifically to “a sweeping new radical policy known as Reimagining PEPFAR’s Strategic Decision.” Smith said the new policy is expressly designed to “integrate sexual and reproductive health and rights,” and explained, “that means abortion with HIV/AIDS work.”

“I strongly supported PEPFAR when it was created in 2003 and was the prime sponsor of the reauthorization of PEPFAR in 2018,” he emphasized. Now Smith says PEPFAR should only be renewed if Congress adds restrictions on offering funding to groups that perform and promote abortion overseas, a policy known as the Mexico City Policy.

Democrats and others invested in the PEPFAR program say abortion claims are fabrications, including former President George Bush, who initially launched the program. Bush considers PEPFAR to be one of his signature achievements.  In mid-September, when this debate was ramping up in Congress, Bush denigrated pro-life concerns saying that “there is no program more pro-life than one which has saved more than 25 million lives.

Congressman Smith and others are not buying the claim that PEPFAR is abortion free.

“President Biden’s […] claim that PEPFAR isn’t pushing abortion on demand collapses under any serious scrutiny of its partners” which include abortion groups like Pathfinder International that has received $24 million in PEPFAR money, and the Population Council that has bagged $6 million. Speaking of Biden’s administration, Smith added: “They say they are not doing it. They are empowering the NGOs to do it […] Planned Parenthood and others […] for abortion until the moment of birth.”

Abortion was never intended as an element of the program. PEPFAR had the goal of preventing and treating HIV and AIDS and ensure “that African and other developing countries have greater access to emergency life-saving pharmaceuticals.”

“It’s time we got back to the original noble goal— end HIV/AIDS around the world,” concluded Smith.

Though abortion restrictions passed the House, it is unlikely the Democrat-led Senate will go along.

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