Abortion is health care.
Repeal the Helms Amendment.
Abortion is health care, everywhere
THE WORLD’S MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE are harmed by a U.S. law that restricts funding for safe abortion services—the Helms Amendment. This amendment bars U.S. foreign assistance funds from being used for abortion services. The way that the law is interpreted and implemented denies people their reproductive rights and deprives them of the care they want and need. It reduces the availability of safe, legal abortion, denies health-care providers life-saving equipment and training and censors critical health information.
Every year, roughly 35 million women and girls around the world have unsafe abortions, and millions suffer injuries and disabilities as a result. The Helms Amendment puts lives at risk; when people can’t make their own reproductive health decisions, and have limited access to vital health care, this means dire consequences for their health. This law has plagued abortion care in low- and middle-income countries for nearly five decades. If the Helms Amendment was repealed, there could be approximately 19 million fewer unsafe abortions and 17,000 fewer maternal deaths each year.
It’s time to repeal this policy and end the harm it has caused
Abortion is essential, now more than ever during the coronavirus outbreak. And it is past time to end policies like Helms that are anti-rights and rooted in racism and colonialism. U.S. assistance programs should provide access to quality, comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care services for all people, including access to safe, legal and accessible abortion care.
The Abortion is Health Care Everywhere Act was reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on March 9, 2021, in commemoration of International Women’s Day, by Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and bill co-leads Representatives Barbara Lee (D-CA), Jackie Speier (D-CA), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Norma Torres (D-CA) and Marilyn Strickland (D-WA). This historic legislation removes the Helms Amendment from statute and replaces it with proactive language stating that U.S. funding shall be used to provide comprehensive reproductive health-care services and information, including abortion services, training, and equipment.
The bill was introduced for the first time ever in the U.S. House of Representatives on July 29, 2020 and in just 2 months the Abortion is Health Care Everywhere Act secured over 110 cosponsors in Congress. Currently, the bill enjoys the support of over 165 original co-sponsors in the 117th Congress and support continues to grow each day for this critical legislation.
Original Cosponsors
Protecting Bodily Autonomy: Let’s Get Rid of the Helms Amendment Once and For All
A discussion with Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, Ipas President and CEO Anu Kumar, and Ipas Ethiopia Country Director and advocate Saba Kidanemariam, moderated by journalist and attorney Jill Filipovic.
Abortion is health care.
Repeal the Helms Amendment.
December 17, 2020
Global Gag Rule is just the tip of the iceberg: Why Repealing the Helms Amendment matters
By Reps. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Jackie Speier (D-Calif.), and Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.)
Press releases
Dismantling racist laws and policies that deny people access to essential abortion services
March 9, 2021
The Helms Amendment: 47 years of denying U.S. support for international reproductive health and rights
December 17, 2020
International Safe Abortion Day
September 28, 2020
Bill Introduction
July 29, 2020
Rep. Jan Schakowsky and Rep. Barbara Lee discuss Helms repeal on the podcast On the Issues with Michele Goodwin
Resources
The Abortion is Health Care Everywhere Act is cosponsored by over 160 Representatives:
Alma Adams, NC-12
Pete Aguilar, CA-31
Colin Allred, TX-32
Jake Auchincloss, MA-04
Cindy Axne, IA-03
Nanette Diaz Barragán, CA-44
Karen Bass, CA-37
Joyce Beatty, OH-03
Ami Bera, M.D., CA-07
Donald S. Beyer Jr., VA-08
Earl Blumenauer, OR-03
Lisa Blunt Rochester, DE-01
Suzanne Bonamici, OR-01
Jamaal Bowman, NY-16
Anthony G. Brown, MD-04
Julia Brownley, CA-26
Cori Bush, MO-01
Salud O. Carbajal, CA-24
Tony Cárdenas, CA-29
Andre’ Carson, IN-07
Matthew Cartwright, PA-08
Ed Case, HI-01
Sean Casten, IL-06
Kathy Castor, FL-14
Joaquin Castro, TX-20
Judy Chu, CA-27
David N. Cicilline, RI-01
Katherine Clark, MA-05
Yvette D. Clarke, NY-09
Steve Cohen, TN-09
Gerald E. Connolly, VA-11
Jim Costa, CA-16
Angie Craig, MN-02
Charlie Crist, FL-13
Jason Crow, CO-06
Danny K. Davis, IL-07
Madeleine Dean, PA-04
Peter A. DeFazio, OR-04
Rosa L. DeLauro, CT-03
Suzan DelBene, WA-01
Mark DeSaulnier, CA-11
Ted Deutch, FL-22
Lloyd Doggett, TX-35
Veronica Escobar, TX-16
Anna Eshoo, CA-18
Adriano Espaillat, NY-13
Dwight Evans, PA-03
Lizzie Fletcher, TX-07
Bill Foster, IL-11
Lois Frankel, FL-21
Ruben Gallego, AZ-07
Sylvia R. Garcia, TX-29
Jesús G. “Chuy” García, IL-04
Jimmy Gomez, CA-34
Al Green, TX-09
Raul M. Grijalva, AZ-03
Alcee L. Hastings, FL-20
Jahana Hayes, CT-05
Brian Higgins, NY-26
Jim Himes, CT-04
Steven Horsford, NV-04
Jared Huffman, CA-02
Sheila Jackson Lee, TX-18
Sara Jacobs, CA-53
Pramila Jayapal, WA-07
Hakeem Jeffries, NY-08
Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr., GA-04
Eddie Bernice Johnson, TX-30
Mondaire Jones, NY-17
Kaialiʻi Kahele, HI-02
Marcy Kaptur, OH-09
William R. Keating, MA-09
Robin L. Kelly, IL-02
Ro Khanna, CA-17
Daniel T. Kildee, MI-05
Derek Kilmer, WA-06
Ann Kirkpatrick, AZ-02
Raja Krishnamoorthi, IL-08
Ann McLane Kuster, NH-02
John B. Larson, CT-01
Rick Larsen, WA-02
Brenda L. Lawrence, MI-14
Al Lawson, FL-05
Teresa Leger Fernandez, NM-03
Andy Levin, MI-09
Mike Levin, CA-49
Ted W. Lieu, CA-33
Zoe Lofgren, CA-19
Alan Lowenthal, CA-47
Tom Malinowski, NJ-07
Carolyn B. Maloney, NY-12
Sean Patrick Maloney, NY-18
Kathy Manning, NC-06
Doris Matsui, CA-06
Lucy McBath, GA-06
Betty McCollum, MN-04
A. Donald McEachin, VA-04
James P. McGovern, MA-02
Jerry McNerney, CA-09
Grace Meng, NY-06
Gwen Moore, WI-04
Joe Morelle, NY-25
Seth Moulton, MA-06
Jerrold Nadler, NY-10
Grace F. Napolitano, CA-32
Joe Neguse, CO-02
Marie Newman, IL-03
Eleanor Holmes Norton, DC – 00
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, NY-14
Ilhan Omar, MN-05
Frank Pallone, Jr., NJ-06
Jimmy Panetta, CA-20
Donald M. Payne, Jr., NJ-10
Ed Perlmutter, CO-07
Scott Peters, CA-52
Dean Phillips, MN-11
Chellie Pingree, ME-01
Mark Pocan, WI-02
Katie Porter, CA-45
David E. Price, NC-04
Mike Quigley, IL-05
Jamie Raskin, MD-08
Kathleen M. Rice, NY-04
Deborah Ross, NC-02
C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, MD-02
Linda T. Sanchez, CA-38
John Sarbanes, MD-03
Mary Gay Scanlon, PA-05
Adam B. Schiff, CA-28
Bradley S. Schneider, IL-10
Kim Schrier, M.D., WA-08
David Scott, GA-13
Terri A. Sewell, AL-07
Brad Sherman, CA-30
Mikie Sherrill, NJ-11
Albio Sires, NJ-08
Adam Smith, WA-09
Darren Soto, FL-09
Greg Stanton, AZ-09
Eric Swalwell, CA-15
Mark Takano, CA-41
Mike Thompson, CA-05
Dina Titus, NV-01
Rashida Tlaib, MI-13
Paul D. Tonko, NY-20
Ritchie Torres, NY-15
Lori Trahan, MA-03
David Trone, MD-06
Lauren Underwood, IL-14
Juan Vargas, CA-51
Marc A. Veasey, TX-33
Nydia M. Velázquez, NY-07
Debbie Wasserman Schultz, FL-23
Maxine Waters, CA-43
Bonnie Watson Coleman, NJ-12
Peter Welch, VT-00
Jennifer Wexton, VA-10
Susan Wild, PA-07
Nikema Williams, GA-05
Frederica S. Wilson, FL-24
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The Abortion is Health Care Everywhere Act is supported and endorsed by a diverse coalition of more than 175 organizations.
AFRD Georgia
Center on Reproductive Rights and Justice (CRRJ)
Ebenezer Church – PHX
Global Network of Black People working in HIV
Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation
Jacobs Institute of Women’s Health
Open Society Policy Center
Prevention Access Campaign – U=U
Radiant International
Real Inspiration Ministries Inc.
