Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on International Affairs, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 29 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to request Congress to end the "global gag rule" imposed on international family planning organizations.

The "global gag rule" was originally created by executive order of President Ronald Reagan in 1984 and prohibits the United States from funding non-governmental organizations that provide legal abortion services, lobby their own governments for abortion law reform, or even provide accurate medical counseling or referrals regarding abortion, even if no United States money is used for those purposes.

The Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, Planned Parenthood of Hawaii, Life of the Land, and an individual testified in support of this concurrent resolution.

Your Committee finds that the "global gag rule" undermines the constitutional right to free speech, undercuts our foreign policy, and discriminates against a women's right to seek an abortion. Legislation is currently pending in Congress to remove the "global gag rule" and permit non-governmental organizations to

provide appropriate and legal family planning services and information in their home countries.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on International Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 29 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.