Obama urged to re-interpret Helms amendment for foreign abortions
(Worthy News) – Some 81 House Democrats have urged President Obama to tell agencies that the Helms amendment does not ban all U.S. foreign aid-related abortions, but permits those in cases of rape, incest and when the life of the mother is endangered.
“In light of your recent trip to Ethiopia and Kenya, we ask that you take swift action to end the unduly strict interpretation of the Helms Amendment and continue your legacy of action to better the lives of women worldwide,” Democrat Reps. Jan Schakowsky of Illinois and Eliot L. Engel of New York said in an Aug. 3 letter to Mr. Obama.
They asked Mr. Obama to clarify to agencies that the 1973 amendment — named for the late Republican Sen. Jesse Helms of North Carolina — was being “incorrectly construed as an outright ban on the use of U.S. aid for abortion services.” [ Source ]