Salon: How Trump’s anti-abortion zeal shook fragile health systems around the world
“…President-elect Joe Biden has pledged to reverse the [Mexico City] policy when he takes office, and he campaigned on a promise to enshrine abortion rights in federal law. But for many foreign aid groups, the changes may be permanent. … Since Ronald Reagan, Republican presidents have barred foreign aid organizations from using U.S. global health funds to counsel women about abortion or refer them to a safe abortion provider. But the Trump administration vastly expanded those anti-abortion restrictions, known as ‘the global gag rule’ by opponents. … The Trump administration proudly touted these efforts to protect ‘the unborn abroad,’ but the rules have left international aid groups deeply skeptical of U.S. promises and deepened the nation’s rift with European countries that have long viewed abortion access as vital to women’s health and safety. Some major organizations opted out of any U.S. funding rather than comply with the new strictures…” (Varney, 11/15).

Vox: Biden can do 3 things on day one to unwind Trump’s war on reproductive health
“…[T]here is likely an end in sight for many of the Trump administration’s policies: Since they were enacted by executive action, they can be undone by President-elect Joe Biden when he takes office, without any help from Congress. Biden has promised to do exactly that, spelling out in campaign documents his plan to reverse many of Trump’s actions. … Like Democrats in the past, Biden has pledged to rescind the policy. … But reproductive health advocates want to see him do more. They are urging him to champion the Global Health, Empowerment, and Rights (HER) Act, which would permanently repeal the Mexico City policy…” (North, 11/16).