House Bars Millions for U.N. Fund Bush Says Pays for Forced Abortions in China

WASHINGTON —  After a dramatic seesaw battle, the House on Tuesday voted in effect to prevent U.S. payment of $15 million to a U.N. population fund that President Bush has accused of financing compulsory abortion in China.

The House avoided a threatened presidential veto of the $14.6-billion foreign aid appropriations bill by voting 219 to 203 to bar any government money for the U.N. fund unless Bush certifies that it did not support or manage a program of “coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization” in China.

Earlier Tuesday, the House had voted 244 to 178 to approve funding for the U.N. unit. By changing its position, the House provided a victory for Bush. The harder line on family planning policy was first instituted by former President Ronald Reagan in 1985.

Tuesday’s vote saved Bush from the prospect of vetoing the entire appropriations bill, which includes about $600 million in aid for Poland and Hungary during the current fiscal year, as well as substantial military and economic aid to Israel, Egypt and other nations.

The decisive roll call came immediately after the House had voted to go along with a Senate-passed provision that earmarked the $15 million for family planning services by the United Nations Fund for Population Assistance (FPA) in 130 poor countries, but banned any payment for abortions or use of any of the funds in China.

The legislation will go back to the Senate to see whether it will accept the amendment requiring presidential certification before funds can be sent to the U.N. group--a requirement that almost guarantees that no funds will go to the FPA. Bush has made it clear that he opposes U.S. support for the organization because of its past backing for China’s severe population control measures.

There was no immediate explanation for the sudden reversal of 41 votes on the issue. Some observers speculated that many House members were anxious to avoid a Bush veto of the appropriations bill as they rush to adjourn the congressional session before Thanksgiving.

During the stormy debate, foes of abortion lined up against abortion rights advocates over the issue, although the funds in the bill were earmarked for family planning services.

Rep. Robert S. Walker (R-Pa.) said the U.N. agency contributed significantly to China’s ability to force women to have abortions or undergo sterilizations against their will. “You’re on the extreme side if you support coerced abortion,” he said.

Proponents, however, said the U.N. fund was the only global agency providing family planning services to the world’s poorest countries that were growing the fastest and needed assistance to curb their populations.

“If you oppose abortion, how can you oppose family planning?” asked Rep. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.). Rep. Jan Meyers (R-Kan.) argued: “Family planning saves the lives of women.”

In other abortion-related action Tuesday, four Republican women members of the House met with Bush to urge him to reconsider his strong stand against government payment for abortions for poor women in cases of rape or incest.

The President vetoed the $157-billion appropriations bill for the departments of Labor and Health and Human Services because it authorized, for the first time in nearly a decade, Medicaid-paid abortions for rape and incest victims. Although the House failed to override the veto, a clear majority of 231 members voted to do so.

The four women, who voted against Bush on the issue, suggested possible compromise language that would allow government payment for abortions in rape and incest cases, Rep. Olympia J. Snowe of Maine said.

Although no conclusions were reached during the 45-minute meeting, Snowe said, she thought it was worthwhile to open a line of communication to Bush on abortion rights.

“We don’t want people to view the Republican Party as totally intransigent on the issue,” Snowe said. “This would totally alienate about half the population . . . . We want to avoid political losses.”

Rep. Claudine Schneider of Rhode Island said after the 45-minute meeting with Bush: “I think there may be some room for him to reconsider (his veto) but he didn’t say so. This is just reading his attention and thoughtfulness.”

Meantime, the House Appropriations Committee approved by voice vote a new version of the Labor-HHS money bill without the abortion provision that triggered the veto. That provision may be added by the Senate, however, forcing yet another vote in the House--a vote that abortion rights advocates predict they can win.

Similarly, the appropriations panel also approved a new version of a money bill for Washington, D.C., which includes a ban on use of federal funds for abortions but allows the local government to use its own tax resources to pay for abortions if it wishes. Bush vetoed a previous D.C. appropriations bill because it did not forbid government payment for all abortions except in cases where the life of the mother is endangered.