WASHINGTON - Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT), Steve Daines (R-MT), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Ben Sasse (R-NE), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), James Lankford (R-OK), Mike Braun (R-IN), John Thune (R-SD), James Inhofe (R-OK), John Cornyn (R-TX), Tim Scott (R-SC), Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) along with Reps. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), Chris Smith (R-NJ) and 39 other representatives sent a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday asking the administration to expand the “Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance” policy, formerly known as the Mexico City Policy, to address domestic non-government organizations (NGOs) that receive federal foreign assistance.

“The administration’s ban on funding overseas organizations that promote abortion has already saved and will continue to save countless lives across the globe,” Sen. Lee said. “President Trump and Secretary Pompeo have already demonstrated their willingness to step up to the plate in defense of innocent life here at home with protections put in place for Title X funding. We encourage the administration to hold domestic NGOs to the same standard in foreign assistance they are held to in Title X funding. Domestic NGOs should have to maintain physical and financial separation from abortion-related activities within federally funded programs.”

“As it stands, the United States is the largest provider of global health funding, and it’s imperative that federal funds for health care are used to preserve and protect the sanctity of human life,” Rep. Foxx said. Our position is clear: domestic NGOs must adhere to the same accountability measures outlined in Title X as they would if they received federal foreign assistance. If they choose to actively subvert these rules and engage in activities that support the termination of human life, their eligibility for taxpayer dollars should be forfeited.”

“Taxpayer dollars shouldn’t be used to perform abortions here or abroad.” Sen. Daines said.

“The Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance policy communicates the imperative that we hold children harmless in our family planning programs throughout the world,” Rep. Smith said. “Domestic NGOS must not serve as a trojan horse for the global abortion industry. It only makes sense to apply the same standards of protection for taxpayer funds to domestic NGOs as those that are applied to foreign NGOs.”

The letter also asks that the State Department require U.S. NGOs to certify that, during the term of any award for US funding, their foreign NGO subgrantees will not perform abortion as a method of family planning and it will not refer, train for, or counsel on abortion as a method of family planning.