Rep. Frankel, Colleagues Push Back Against Trump Administration's Efforts to Expand the Global Gag Rule
Congresswoman
Today, more than 140 members of the
Also known as the Mexico City Policy, the Global Gag Rule prevents foreign organizations receiving
"This administration's expanded Global Gag Rule has gravely diminished the effectiveness of
In the letter, the lawmakers noted that the
The lawmakers also stressed that further expanding this policy will likely again produce significant confusion resulting in a chilling impact on health services. They emphasized that now, during an unprecedented global pandemic, is not the time to expand a policy that threatens access to health care programs, including COVID-19-related programs, which may disproportionately impact vulnerable populations and communities around the world.
"The health of women around the world is severely endangered by the Trump administration's oppressive Global Gag Rule," said Congresswoman
"No organization should be forced to choose between providing patients with access to life-saving medical care or accepting
"
"The Trump administration continues to wage a dangerous war on women's health, even in the middle of a global pandemic," said Congresswoman
"
"
The letter also outlines several specific questions for response and urges the administration to withdraw the proposed expansion, which will cause unmitigated harm to the world's most vulnerable people.
* * *
To: The Honorable
The Honorable
The Honorable
RE: FAR Case 2018-002, Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance
Dear Secretary Pompeo, Secretary Azar, and Acting Deputy Administrator Barsa:
As members of the
The global gag rule (also known as the Mexico City Policy or Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance) has been a political flashpoint constraining the sexual and reproductive rights of individuals across the globe since 1984. The Trump administration has already dramatically expanded the global gag rule twice, magnifying its devastating impacts across
Since this expansion in 2017, the policy has been documented to disrupt a wide range of global health efforts. Indeed, the
The proposed rule threatens to drastically expand the damage already done to
In fact, the global gag rule has resulted in a "chilling effect," disrupting service provision, engagement, and collaboration across coalitions seeking stronger health care systems. Following previous expansions of the global gag rule, organizations reported that they had received little guidance from the
Many of the estimated 253 foreign prime contractors that will be subject to this proposed rule, as well as untold numbers of subcontractors and
Our concerns about disruptions to health services, weakening of civil society, and the diversion of health resources and manpower to deal with new compliance burdens are magnified in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is wreaking havoc on vulnerable health systems. Health workers at all levels continue to have urgent needs for personal protective equipment, and providers must adapt clinic and outreach services to adhere to social distancing guidelines and ensure infection prevention and control measures are followed to allow them to continue to safely serve patients. As the pandemic continues unabated, partners report disruptions to reproductive and maternal health, child health and immunizations, nutrition programs, and efforts to address epidemics like HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. In particular, risk mitigation efforts, such as restrictions on movement or the types of health care services allowed to operate, have limited access to sexual and reproductive health services. Supply chains for commodities, including the full range of contraceptive methods and condoms, which prevent both sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancies, have also been disrupted/4/5 . The proposed rule threatens to further exacerbate these disruptions, as some of the largest global health contracts are projects focused on supply chain and logistics management. The supply chain work at the country level is reliant on organizations with logistics and forecasting expertise, which likely includes foreign NGO subcontractors who have not yet been exposed to the global gag rule. Conservative estimates show that a 10% reduction in the availability of reproductive health services is likely to result in 49 million women having an unmet need for modern contraception and 15 million additional unintended pregnancies./6
The COVID-19 pandemic is not a time for non-essential rulemaking. The ongoing public health and economic crises resulting from COVID-19 impede the ability to have a meaningful public comment period on any issues beyond these immediate and urgent crises. Furthermore, we are alarmed that the administration has chosen to propose an expansion of a policy that further restricts and disrupts health care access amid a global pandemic.
Based on the concerns enumerated above, we request responses to the following questions: 1. Have
2. Have
3. Have
4. How many prime contractors and subcontractors do
5. How do
6. Have
7. Do some global health sectors rely more heavily on foreign contractors and subcontractors to achieve their programmatic objectives than others and are those contractors or subcontractors more or less likely to be in engaged in restricted abortionrelated activities with non-
8. What information do the departments/agencies themselves believe is necessary to ensure compliance? What practical utility does this information serve in delivering high-quality public health services funded by the American taxpayer?
9. The proposed rule has estimated that the cost impact on the public of taking this regulatory act at
10. The proposed rule also provides an estimate of the public reporting burden for required information collection of nearly 39,000 total response burden hours. Please provide the assumptions and methodology used in calculating this estimate.
11. What steps are the departments and agencies willing to take to reduce, limit or mitigate the impact that the increased burden of compliance may have on clients or beneficiaries' access to health services and supplies provided by contractors?
12. Have
13. Have
14. Have
The proposed rule would gravely harm countless people around the world and is a direct attack on sexual and reproductive health and rights. As elected officials, we oppose this proposed rule because it will disrupt service delivery of global health programs including those aimed at COVID-19, silence civil society organizations, and increase compliance burdens and inefficiencies in
See signatories here: https://lowey.house.gov/sites/lowey.house.gov/files/documents/final_GGR%20contracts%20rule%20letter.11.13.20.pdf
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