Protecting Life in Foreign Assistance

To implement the Presidential Memorandum of January 24, 2025, reinstating the Mexico City Policy in support of the foreign policy objective of the United States not to support abortion as a method of family planning overseas directly or indirectly, the U.S. Department of State (Department) is adding a new award term for grants, cooperative agreements, and voluntary contributions entitled "Protecting Life in Foreign Assistance." The award term imposes certain abortion-related requirements on foreign nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), United States NGOs, public international organizations, foreign governments, and parastatals. The award term is issued consistent with authorities under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (FAA) and other foreign assistance authorities, such as the FREEDOM Support Act, the Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of 1962, and the SEED Act of 1989, which authorize the Department to provide foreign assistance on such terms and conditions as the President, and by delegation, the Secretary of State, may determine. Consistent with past Mexico City Policy protocol, the provision will be incorporated as applicable into grants and cooperative agreements when new funds are added as well as into new awards.