Soon after he took office, President Biden committed to protect the sexual and reproductive health and rights of people living in the U.S. and abroad. But by removing the Hyde Amendment from his budget but leaving in the Helms Amendment, he kept only half of that promise.
Author: Bethany Van Kampen
Bethany Van Kampen is a senior policy advisor for Ipas where she leads their U.S. abortion foreign policy work, and specifically efforts to repeal the Helms Amendment. Prior to joining Ipas, she worked as a senior policy analyst at the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice and as a legislative fellow in the office of Sen. Barbara Boxer (Calif.). She received her law degree and master of social work from Tulane University, where she co-founded and served as president of If/When/How and was a member of the Tulane Domestic Violence Law Clinic and the Legislative and Administrative Advocacy Clinic. Prior to graduate school, Bethany served in the Peace Corps in Costa Rica. Bethany was the Newcomb College Institute of Tulane University Lindy Boggs Fellow and recipient of the Tulane University Crest Award for Service and Leadership.
The Global Gag Rule Is Just the First Step if We Want To Champion Reproductive Freedom for All
The Biden administration must reassert the U.S.’s leadership position as a human rights defender, reject harmful domestic and foreign policies, such as the Hyde, Helms Amendment and the global gag rule, and champion support for their permanent repeal.
The Helms Amendment: 47 Years of Denying U.S. Support for International Reproductive Health and Rights
The Biden-Harris administration offers some hope for international reproductive health, rights and justice—but unless the Helms Amendment is repealed, people in low-to-middle income countries will continue to be denied access to abortion services.