Protecting Women's Health at Home and Abroad

This memorandum revokes the Trump-era Mexico City Policy (January 23, 2017) and directs agencies to resume funding to the United Nations Population Fund, waive restrictions on foreign assistance grants related to abortion counseling and referrals, withdraw U.S. co-sponsorship of the Geneva Consensus Declaration, and review the 2019 Title X domestic family planning rule for potential suspension or rescission.

Federal Register Open PDF 86 FR 33077

Impact dates

Date TBD
Notify current grantees of waiver
Date TBD
Review Title X Rule and consider suspension/revision/rescission
Date TBD
Withdraw co-sponsorship from Geneva Consensus Declaration
Jan 28, 2021
Immediately waive restrictive conditions in current grants
Jan 28, 2021
Immediately cease imposing conditions in future assistance awards

Key directives

Revoke Presidential Memorandum of January 23, 2017 (Mexico City Policy)
Review Title X Rule and consider suspending, revising, or rescinding
Immediately waive restrictive conditions in current foreign assistance grants
Notify current grantees of waiver as soon as possible
Immediately cease imposing restrictive conditions in future awards
Suspend, revise, or rescind regulations issued pursuant to January 2017 memorandum
Withdraw co-sponsorship and signature from Geneva Consensus Declaration
Resume funding to United Nations Population Fund
Ensure adequate funds directed to global women's health needs
Provide guidance to agencies consistent with memorandum

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

Revocation of January 2017 Mexico City Policy memorandum
Waiver of restrictive conditions in current foreign assistance grants
Notification to current grantees of waiver
Cessation of imposing restrictive conditions in future assistance awards

Near term (90d)

Review of Title X Rule for potential suspension/revision/rescission
Withdrawal of U.S. co-sponsorship from Geneva Consensus Declaration
Resumption of UN Population Fund funding

Long term

Potential regulatory changes to Title X program
Restructuring of global health assistance conditions
Shift in US foreign policy on reproductive rights

Risks & tensions

Title X review outcome uncertain; 'as soon as practicable' and 'consider' language creates implementation ambiguity
Resumption of UNFPA funding explicitly subject to appropriations availability, creating potential congressional friction
Regulatory changes to Title X will require APA notice-and-comment, delaying domestic impact
Withdrawal from Geneva Consensus Declaration may draw international attention and criticism from anti-abortion advocates