The legislation is aimed at overturning Bush's Jan. 22 executive order, which was among his first official acts as president. Under Bush's directive, organizations that offer abortions, or even mention abortions as an option during counseling, are ineligible to receive U.S. assistance.

Congress now allocates $425 million for international family planning, which is distributed among more than 400 organizations. Critics have labeled Bush's directive a "gag rule" that threatens the health of millions of women around the world.

"This is so outside the mainstream," said Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., of Bush's executive order. "It is cruel to women. It is backward. It is counterproductive. It will lead to more women dying."

Boxer is the author of the Senate measure known as the Global Democracy Promotion Act of 2001. Rep. Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., is offering a companion measure in the House.

The fight over international family planning funds has emerged as a linchpin in the larger battle over legal abortions and as a major source of conflict between Bush and Democrats.

Abortion opponents hailed Bush's action as evidence of his commitment to limit abortions, while abortion rights advocates warned that it was the first step in a broader campaign toward ending women's right to legal abortions.

The measure, to be introduced with great fanfare today, faces long legislative odds.

In the House, Lowey has about 40 co-sponsors, including four Republicans. Certain to be opposed by GOP leaders, the measure will likely be referred to the International Relations Committee, run by staunch abortion foe Rep. Henry Hyde, R-Ill. Democrats will need to resort to parliamentary maneuvers to even get the bill to the floor for a vote.

The prospects are brighter on the Senate side, where pro-choice senators hold a majority. Boxer has more than a dozen co-sponsors, including at least four GOP senators, according to her staff.

Sponsors hope that if they can get the matter to the full Senate for debate,

the public will rally to their side.

"The more public awareness there is on this issue, and the more heat that President Bush takes for enforcing his policy, the better off we are," said Steven Biel, a spokesman for Population Action International, a family- planning group based in Washington.

Biel conceded that the legislative prospects are not bright, but said: "The only other option is to wait four years and hope a Democrat wins. We're not going to wait four years and let women die."

Secretary of State Colin Powell, asked about the policy on ABC's "This Week, " provided opponents some hope that Bush might reconsider when he suggested that he doesn't agree with the president.

"I have other views that are my personal views, but this is the policy of the government, and it's consistent with President Bush's campaign promises. And it is consistent with the principles of the party that he represents," Powell said on the ABC show.

The White House declined to return phone calls yesterday to discuss the legislation.

The bill's introduction today coincides with the first day that international family planning organizations will be permitted to compete for a piece of the $425 million pie.

U.S. law already prohibits the funds from being used directly for abortions.

Under the new rules, groups that offer abortions or abortion counseling will not be eligible for U.S. funds to be used toward any purpose.

Biel and other critics of the Bush directive say it will make many organizations ineligible, and that scores of others may modify their practices to withhold abortions or abortion information to qualify for the money.

That, they say, will endanger millions of women, who are in need of abortions for medical reasons or who will seek out abortions under dangerous conditions.

Ironically, some women who rely on such organizations for birth control may find themselves pregnant and thus increase the demand for abortion, the critics contend.

"It is very dangerous for women to tie the hands of family planning organizations," Boxer said.

President Ronald Reagan in 1984 was the first to restrict the use of such international aid funds. President Bill Clinton reversed the ban when he took office in 1993.

©2001 San Francisco Chronicle

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