WASHINGTON, D.C. — Following the President’s executive order to reinstate the Mexico City Policy, commonly known as the global gag rule, which limits the ability of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to operate overseas, Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01) released the following statement: 

“Restoring the global gag rule does nothing to help the millions of people around the world who depend on American non-profits and volunteer groups,” Norcross said. “These organizations should be left to focus on helping those in need – not forced to conform to partisan policies that limit their effectiveness. I hope the administration will immediately reverse course and focus on issues that unite us – not those which divide us.”

Federal funds are already prohibited from being used by NGO’s to perform abortions – the Mexico City Policy is an extreme measure which limits NGO’s from using any private donations to perform or promote abortion services as a method of family planning, if they accept government funds.  

Following eight years of the Obama administration’s policies, the abortion rate in America is now at its lowest rate since 1973. Despite this fact, Republicans in Congress are continuing to wage a war on women’s right to choose – beginning with a vote tomorrow to ban federal funds from paying for abortions, a measure which already exists in current law.  

“While Americans across the country are united in wanting us to focus on creating jobs and growing the economy, Congressional Republicans are instead re-igniting the culture wars that divide us,” Norcross said. “On Saturday, I proudly joined hundreds of thousands of women and their allies across the country who marched in support of equal rights and against discrimination. It’s time for Republicans to listen to America’s women and respect their right to make their own health care decisions.”

On Saturday, Norcross joined with New Jerseyans from across the state in the Women’s March on Trenton to stand up for equal rights and against discrimination.

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