Senator Murkowski – Mexico City Policy

What is the Mexico City Policy:
http://frcblog.com/2009/01/what-exactly-is-the-mexico-city-policy/

Votes on Mexico City Policy:
Context of vote here –
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/International/story?id=6716958&page=1

January 28, 2009: S.Amdt. 65 to H.R. 2
“To restore the prohibition on funding of nongovernmental organizations that promote abortion as a method of birth control (the "Mexico City Policy").”
Murkowski (R-AK), Nay
http://senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=1&vote=00019

April 5, 2005: S.Amdt. 278 to S. 600
“To prohibit the application of certain restrictive eligibility requirements to foreign nongovernmental organizations with respect to the provision of assistance under part I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.”
Murkowski (R-AK), Yea
http://senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=1&vote=00083

Sponsor – Mrs. BOXER:“Mr. President, today I am offering an amendment to overturn the so-called Mexico City policy which undermines some of our country's most important values and goals.”

July 9, 2003: On the motion to table – S.Amdt. 1141 to S.Amdt. 1136 to S. 925
“To prohibit the application of certain restrictive eligibility requirements to foreign nongovernmental organizations with respect to the provision of assistance under part I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.”
Murkowski (R-AK), Nay

Excerpts from Sponsor’s Floor Speech – Mrs. Boxer:

 Madam President, the reason I was happy to have the clerk read the first three findings in this amendment is that I think these words really speak to what the United States is all about, which is free speech, the ability for people to be told the truth, and the ability of medical professionals not to be gagged from telling the truth.

Most unfortunately, what is happening right now, as a result of this administration's policy known as the Mexico City policy, foreign nongovernmental organizations--in other words, nonprofit organizations--that received USAID family planning funding are restricted in how they can help their patients . . .

Frankly, I can't believe this regressive policy is even here in the 21st century. It is killing women. This is not something that is preventing abortions. Its impact is that women will seek illegal abortions. It is what happened in this country. Hundreds of women in this country died every year because they could not get access to safe, legal abortions until Roe v. Wade. Then we said to women, this is a legal option. It is your call. It is up to you at the early stages of the pregnancy. It is really a very straightforward and fair law.”