While the U.S. government directly supports population and family planning activities overseas in some countries, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) provides aid to 140 countries. It provides support to countries which will not or cannot accept direct aid from the U.S. UNFPA receives millions of dollars of requests for family planning aid from the developing world that cannot be met for lack of funds. In 1986, the U.S. cut off all funding for UNFPA, charging that it funded coercive programs in one country (China). UNFPA does not fund abortion.

This vote was on the motion to the Foreign Aid Authorization for FY 1992-93 to invoke cloture (thus limiting debate) on an amendment by Senator Paul Simon (D-IL). This amendment would authorize $20 million for use by UNFPA for contraceptive supplies with the stipulation that if any UNFPA funds go to China, the entire $20 million would be returned to the U.S.

The Motion was agreed to 63-33 (60 votes are required for cloture) on July 25, 1991. YES is the pro-environment vote. The final version of this bill passed with this amendment intact, but the House-Senate Conference modified it to require approval of the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations before any funds could be spent by UNFPA.