WASHINGTON, Jan 24, (AFP) - President Barack Obama has overturned what he described as an "unwarranted" eight-year ban on US government funding for family-planning groups which carry out or facilitate abortions overseas.
Shortly after he signed an executive order canceling the restrictions, on the third full day of his presidency, Obama said in a statement the ban had "undermined efforts to promote safe and effective voluntary family planning in developing countries," and that the issue had become too politicized.
The so-called "global gag rule" cut off US funding to overseas family planning clinics which provide any abortion services whatsoever, from the operation itself to counseling, referrals or post-abortion services.
First introduced by Republican president Ronald Reagan in 1984, it has been repeatedly overturned by Democratic administrations and reintroduced by the Republicans.
Obama's action reversed the orders of president George W. Bush, who when he came into office in 2001 immediately froze funds to many family planning groups working overseas.
"It is clear that the provisions... are unnecessarily broad and unwarranted under current law," Obama said.
For too long, he added, the ban "has been used as a political wedge issue, the subject of a back and forth debate that has served only to divide us."
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Obama's repeal of the ban was "a welcomed and important step" that would help ensure women and children have full access to health information and services.
Democratic Senator John Kerry applauded Obama for sending "a powerful signal around the world that the United States is once again back in the business of good public policy, and ideology no longer blunts our ability to save lives around the globe."
Obama works on stimulus budget
WASHINGTON, Jan 24, 2009 (AFP) - President Barack Obama will meet today with his economic team to discuss the government's budgetary priorities as he makes a concerted effort to bolster the flagging US economy.
Obama said on Friday that his economic stimulus plan was "on target" to clear Congress by mid-February. But he faced complaints from Republicans who warned it was too expensive and will not work.
"We are experiencing an unprecedented, perhaps, economic crisis that has to be dealt with, and dealt with rapidly," Obama said, flanked by Republican and Democratic leaders in the Roosevelt Room of the White House.
Republicans, who say they are being shut out of framing an 825-billion-dollar Democratic version of the stimulus in the House of Representatives, issued their own version of the plan after requesting the meeting with Obama.
The president said he understood there were divisions in Congress and will meet Republicans on Capitol Hill next week, but argued everyone was at least in agreement that something needed to be done fast.
Republican House Majority leader John Boehner left the meeting saying it was productive but was skeptical that some of the spending in the bill would kick-start the crisis-mired economy.
"I'm concerned about the size of the package and I'm concerned about some of the spending that's in there," he said.
"How you can spend hundreds of millions of dollars on contraceptives -- how does that stimulate the economy? |
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