,,ii #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #ccic ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,december #i1 #bjbe,mrs4 ,shaheen 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,durbin1 ,mrs4 ,murray1 ,mr4 ,coons1 ,mr4 ,kaine1 ,mr4 ,booker1 ,ms4 ,cortez ,masto1 ,ms4 ,duckworth1 ,mrs4 ,gillibrand1 ,mr4 ,hickenlooper1 ,mr4 ,merkley1 ,ms4 ,rosen1 ,mr4 ,sanders1 ,mr4 ,schiff1 ,mr4 ,van ,hollen1 and ,mr4 ,welch7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations ,a ,,bill ,to authorize contributions to the ,united ,nations ,population ,fund1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,support ,,unfpa ,funding ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,the ,united ,nations ,population ,fund 7referred to in this ,act as ,,unfpa7 is the ,united ,nations sexual and reproductive health agency4 7#b7 ,,unfpa was founded with the bipartisan leadership of the ,united ,states and advances ,united ,states strategic interests to promote peace and stability overseas by working in more than #aej countries to end preventable maternal deaths1 the unmet need for contraception1 and gender-based violence and other harmful practices1 including female genital mutilation and child marriage4 7#c7 ,,unfpa is the ,united ,nations agency with the mandate to provide reproductive and maternal care in humanitarian crises that are critical to the lives of women and girls by providing family planning1 maternal health care1 midwife training1 and interventions to halt child marriage and the practice of female genital mutilation4 7#d7 ,,unfpa is present in more than three times as many countries as ,united ,states bilateral family planning and reproductive health programs4 7#e7 ,the ,multilateral ,organization ,performance ,assessment ,network 7commonly known as ,,mopan71 of which the ,united ,states is a member1 conducted a thorough evaluation of ,,unfpa's organizational performance1 effectiveness1 and results4 ,the evaluation1 released in ,january #bjbe1 concluded that ,,unfpa is an effective organization that is successfully delivering on its mandate4 ,,unfpa has been an excellent steward and partner to the ,united ,states1 ensuring that all ,united ,states financial contributions are kept in a segregated account and in compliance with ,united ,states legal restrictions4 ,,unfpa does not fund abortion or promote abortion as a method of family planning4 ,,unfpa opposes all forms of coercion and involuntary sterilization4 7#f7 ,all ,,unfpa programming is guided by principles adopted by #agi governments1 including the ,united ,states1 at the #aiid ,international ,conference for ,population and ,development4 ,the principles include that reproductive health care programs should provide the widest range of services without any form of coercion4 ,all couples and individuals have the basic right to decide freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their children and to have the information1 education and means to do so44 7#g7 ,,unfpa extends and supports the ,united ,states investment in global safety1 stability and security by reaching women and girls in politically unstable regions4 ,,unfpa also plays a pivotal role in meeting protection and health care needs in countries experiencing complex humanitarian emergencies4 7#h7 ,,unfpa ensures access to health care and essential supplies for women and families affected by humanitarian crises1 including those arising from natural disasters1 armed conflicts1 and other emergencies4 7#i7 ,during #bjbd1 ,,unfpa assisted millions of women1 girls1 and adolescents with a range of life-saving services1 including-- 7,a7 #aj1jjj1jjj people who were reached with sexual and reproductive health services across #di countries2 7,b7 #c1fjj1jjj people who were reached with gender-based violence prevention1 risk mitigation1 and response services in #ec countries2 7,c7 more than #hbe1jjj women who were assisted with delivering babies safely in #cg countries2 and 7,d7 #c1ejj health facilities that were supported in #ee countries1 including conflict-affected countries where ,,unfpa is able to reach up to three times as many communities as ,united ,states services providers4 7#aj7 ,the ,united ,states termination of funding for ,,unfpa programs restricts ,,unfpa's critical work1 endangering lives across the world4 ,without such funding1 ,,unfpa cannot continue to address the needs of-- 7,a7 more than #gjj women and adolescent girls who die each day from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth1 most of which occur in developing countries and more than half of which occur in fragile and humanitarian settings2 7,b7 more than #bbf1jjj1jjj women of reproductive age in low- and middle-income countries who want to avoid pregnancy and are not using a modern contraceptive method2 7,c7 an estimated #a in #c women who experience gender-based violence2 7,d7 an estimated #bcj1jjj1jjj women who have survived some form of female genital mutilation2 and 7,e7 an estimated #ab1jjj1jjj girls who are forcibly married each year before reaching #ah years of age4 7#aa7 ,the halting of ,united ,states funding in #bjbe has already led to-- 7,a7 the closure of #ba health centers in ,afghanistan1 with #ejj more health centers potentially facing closure2 7,b7 #bjj1jjj women in ,sudan who have been left without essential reproductive health services2 7,c7 the loss of lifesaving services for #a1ejj1jjj women and girls in ,yemen and the closing of #dd health facilities1 #bd women-friendly spaces1 and #ad mobile protection teams to reach the most vulnerable women in ,yemen2 and 7,d7 the discontinuation of hospital support in ,bangladesh1 including staff and medicines leading to limited life-saving emergency obstetric and newborn care impacting #aa1jjj women and girls in ,bangladesh4 7#ab7 ,voluntary family planning is central to global health1 equality1 and women's empowerment1 and is a key factor in poverty reduction1 enabling individuals and families to make informed decisions about their reproductive health and economic well-being4 7#ac7 ,providing access to family planning-- 7,a7 reduces unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions2 and 7,b7 improves the health outcomes of women4 7#ad7 ,greater access to family planning has the potential-- 7,a7 to prevent up to #cj percent of the #bie1jjj maternal deaths that occur annually2 and 7,b7 to save the lives of #a1djj1jjj children who are younger than #e years of age4 7#ae7 ,in ,march #bjbe1 thousands of ,americans1 representing all #ej ,states1 expressed their support for the lifesaving work of ,,unfpa through a series of letters4 #c4 ,statement of policy ,it is the policy of the ,united ,states that-- 7#a7 improving the health and status of women around the world is a strategic priority for ,united ,states foreign policy and development efforts that contributes to global stability and economic growth2 7#b7 the ability of individuals to freely determine whether1 when1 and with whom to have children1 and to attain the highest standard of health1 supports both human rights and sustainable development1 fostering more stable and prosperous societies2 7#c7 providing access to voluntary contraception and reproductive health care is a cost-effective way to enhance women's economic participation1 reduce poverty1 and strengthen communities1 advancing ,united ,states strategic interests2 7#d7 ,,unfpa is a key partner in advancing global health1 stability1 and economic development by improving the health and status of women and expanding access to voluntary family planning and reproductive health care2 7#e7 ,,unfpa plays a vital role in ensuring that family planning and reproductive health programs are voluntary1 rights-based1 and aligned with international standards1 helping to prevent instability and improve health outcomes in vulnerable regions2 7#f7 financial support for ,,unfpa aligns with ,united ,states interests by promoting global health1 reducing maternal mortality1 and fostering development in ways that contribute to more stable and self-sufficient nations2 and 7#g7 the ,united ,states ,government remains committed to providing targeted1 cost-effective funding to support the efforts described in paragraphs 7#a7 through 7#f74 #d4 ,authorization of appropriations 7a7 ,finding ,congress finds that the ,united ,nations ,population ,fund does not support nor participate in the management of any program or activity of coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization in any country4 7b7 ,funding authority ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 the ,united ,nations ,population ,fund is authorized to receive funding1 except with regards to programs in ,china4 7c7 ,funding for fiscal years #bjbf and #bjbg 7#a7 ,in general ,there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,president1 in addition to funds otherwise made available1 #gd1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbf and #bjbg to support the core functions and programs of the ,united ,nations ,population ,fund1 which may include efforts-- 7,a7 to end preventable maternal deaths2 7,b7 to end the unmet need for contraceptives and promoting a voluntary approach to family planning2 7,c7 to end gender-based violence2 7,d7 to end other harmful practices1 such as child marriage and female genital mutilation2 and 7,e7 in support of ,united ,states national security and humanitarian efforts by operating in areas where medical infrastructure or services have been destroyed or limited by natural disasters1 armed conflict1 or other humanitarian emergencies4 7#b7 ,availability ,amounts appropriated pursuant to paragraph 7#a7 shall remain available until expended4