House Abortion Foe Wins Vote to Bar Funds to U.N. Population Fund

WASHINGTON —  In the first clash on an abortion-related issue in the new Congress, the House voted Wednesday to bar a $25-million contribution to the U.N. Population Fund because it has programs in China, where the government is accused of coercive abortion practices.

The amendment to a foreign affairs bill proposed by leading abortion foe Christopher H. Smith (R-N.J.) also reinstated a ban on funds for non-government family planning groups that directly or indirectly perform abortions in foreign countries.

The ban, approved 240 to 181, was a return to the policies of former Republican administrations on funding foreign population programs. A similar ban was imposed under the so-called Mexico City policy enunciated by President Ronald Reagan in 1984 and continued by President George Bush.

President Clinton had resumed funding for the U.N. agency and jettisoned the Mexico City policy.

A foreign aid bill before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee would also bar contributions to the U.N. fund. But Johnson noted the Senate was more closely divided on abortion issues.

The outlook for the Smith amendment is uncertain. Clinton has vowed to veto its parent foreign policy bill because of its harsh cuts in foreign affairs and foreign aid funding and a variety of policy directives.