Funding Timeline
During President Richard Nixon’s Administration
1969 - With the United States playing a lead role, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is created to provide women's health care, including family planning, in low-income countries.
1970's - The United States is the largest contributor to UNFPA, matching all other contributions in the first several years of UNFPA's existence.
During President Ronald Reagan’s Administration
1985 - Rep. Jack Kemp (R-NY) and Senator Bob Kasten (R-WI) add funding restrictions to the U.S. contribution to UNFPA, which is allocated as part of the Foreign Operations Appropriations bill. The Kemp-Kasten Amendment is approved, barring U.S. funding for any international organization that the President determines "supports or participates in the management of a program of coercive abortion or sterilization."
March 1985 - A review of UNFPA's work in China by the U.S. Agency for International Development finds that UNFPA provides voluntary family planning and is not in violation of Kemp-Kasten.
September 1985 - UNFPA receives $36 million in funding from the U.S. minus $10 million--ostensibly for the U.S. Congress to express disapproval of coercion in the Chinese government's family planning program.
October 1985 – The Reagan Administration decrees that UNFPA is in violation of Kemp-Kasten despite all indications that it is not.
1986-1988 - No U.S. funds go to UNFPA.
During President George H. W. Bush’s Administration
1989-1992 - No U.S. funds go to UNFPA.
During President William J. Clinton’s Administration
1994 - Finding UNFPA to be in compliance with the Kemp-Kasten Amendment, President Clinton restores funding to UNFPA, and Congress appropriates $14.5 million.
1994 - Representatives from 179 nations meet at the U.N. International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo to develop a landmark plan linking economic and social development with women's reproductive rights. They set a goal of universal access to reproductive health services by 2015, with UNFPA as the lead agency, and pledge to invest $17 billion in women's health programs annually by 2000.
Fall 1994 - Congress appropriates $50 million for UNFPA but withholds $10 million, stipulating that no U.S. funds can be spent in China.
1995 - Congress appropriates $35 million for UNFPA. UNFPA does not renew its China program from 1995 through 1997 while negotiating with the Chinese government to eliminate the country’s birth limitation policies.
1996 - Congress appropriates $22.8 million to UNFPA but rescinds all but $7.6 million.
1997 - Congress appropriates $25 million for UNFPA but withholds $5 million.
1998 - China pledges to abandon coercive policies in 32 Chinese counties. UNFPA renews its program in those counties. Congress appropriates $25 million, withholding $5 million.
1999 - Congress zeroes out UNFPA funding in protest over renewal of programs in China.
2000 - Congress appropriates $25 million for UNFPA in FY 2001, withholding $3.5 million.
During President George W. Bush’s Administration
Spring 2001 - Secretary of State Colin Powell praises the agency for its "invaluable" work.
Fall 2001 - The new Bush administration requests $25 million for UNFPA for FY 2002. The new Bush administration requests $25 million for UNFPA for FY 2002 and releases $25 million to UNFPA, withholding $3.5 million as a dollar-for-dollar reduction for its work in China.
October 2001 - The Bush administration gives $600,000 to UNFPA to provide emergency services to Afghan women refugees.
Fall 2001 – Congress, in a bipartisan vote, appropriates $34 million for UNFPA for FY 2002.
Fall 2001 - Firing Non-governmental organization, Population Research Institute alleges that UNFPA is complicit in forced abortions in China. Rep. Chris Smith, opponent of family planning, writes a letter to President Bush requesting that US funding to UNFPA be withheld due to it work on China.
2001 - UNFPA eventually receives $21.5 million from the United States after a withholding of $3.5 million.
February 2002 - President Bush places a hold on the UNFPA appropriation.
May 2002 - A U.S. State Department fact-finding mission reports, "We find no evidence that UNFPA has knowingly supported or participated in the management of a program of coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization in the People's Republic of China." It recommends release of the $34 million for FY 2002. (Some 160 independent diplomatic and technical monitoring missions have visited UNFPA operations in China and found no involvement in coercive activities.)
July 2002 - The Bush administration rescinds the $34 million FY 2002 appropriation for UNFPA, citing the Kemp-Kasten Amendment and ignoring the findings of the State Department report. UNFPA receives no U.S. contribution.
2003 - Congress allocates $34 million to UNFPA for FY 2004 but the President withholds the funds in summer of 2004.
2004 - Congress allocates $34 million to UNFPA for FY 2005, but the President withholds the funds in summer of 2005.
2005 – Congress allocates $34 million to UNFPA for FY 2006 but the President withholds the funds in September 2006 informing Congress at the last possible moment.
2006 - Congress allocates $34 million to UNFPA for FY 2007, but the President withholds the funds, again waiting until September 2007 to make the announcement.
2007 - Congress allocates $40 million to UNFPA for FY 2008 with language that requires the President to articulate his reason and justifications for withholding the contribution no later than six months after passage of the appropriations bill (December 2007). This $40 million brings a total of $235 million that has been allocated by Congress since 2002.
2008 - Ongoing updates to this year's appropriations process are here.
2008 - U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations appropriates $60 million for UNFPA with policy language that requires if the President determines that UNFPA is in violation of Kemp-Kasten, then the funding will be released for specific purposes including family planning, prevention and treatment of obstetric fistula, prevention of harmful practices such as FGM, promotion of safe motherhood and reproductive health care in emergency settings. The Senate Full Appropriations Committee approves $40 million for UNFPA with similar policy language. Final congressional action is pending the outcome of the US election in November 2008.
2009 - The House and Senate Conference Committee report for the FY 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Bill allocates a $50 million contribution to UNFPA. On February 25, the House passes the bill.