Bush Issues Order Blocking Abortion Funds

Jan. 22 -- On the anniversary of the 1973 Supreme Court ruling that legalized abortion, President Bush has issued an executive order stopping federal funding of international family-planning groups.

"It is my conviction that taxpayer funds should not be used to pay for abortions or advocate or actively promote abortion, either here or abroad," said Bush in a statement issued by the White House late this afternoon.

The executive memorandum, mostly affects overseas organizations that offer abortion and abortion counseling.

U.S. funding for international groups that support abortion rights was first stopped by President Ronald Reagan in what became known as the "Mexico City" policy, because it was announced by Reagan at a 1984 population conference there.

President Clinton, an abortion-rights supporter, restored funding two days after he became president in 1993.

Bush's decision drew criticism from Kate Michelman, president of the National Abortion Rights Action League, who called the order "a harbinger of things to come."

Michelman added there was "quite a bit of harm that can be done to women's reproductive rights" during the Bush administration, saying that Supreme Court appointments and other judicial appointments would have a significant impact as well.

But Douglas Johnson, legislative director for the National Right to Life Committee, applauded the move, saying it meant "the U.S. government will no longer be using taxpayer dollars to try to legalize abortion" in foreign countries.

Contentious Issue Will Be Front and Center

Today's announcement shows that although Bush has not publicly placed the issue of abortion at the top of his domestic-policy agenda, he is ready to take action on what figures to become a major point of contention.

And newly reinvigorated by having a Republican president in office for the first time in eight years, anti-abortion rights demonstrators marched through Washington today, demonstrating against the Roe vs. Wade ruling that legalized abortion.