On June 26, the House passed, 214-195, the FY2001 Commerce, Justice, State, and Related Agencies appropriations bill (H.R. 4690). The House began consideration of the bill on June 22 and 23 (see The Source, 6/23/00). During consideration last week, amendments were debated on several issues, including women-owned businesses, the Legal Services Corporation, and an abortion-related restriction (see The Source, 6/23/00).
This week, Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN) offered an amendment that would have prohibited the use of funds for the “payment of expenses of any United States delegation or special envoy at a United Nations-sponsored meeting at which the delegation or envoy votes for or otherwise advocates the adoption of any provision under the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime that legalizes, legitimizes, or decriminalizes prostitution in any form under any circumstances, or otherwise limits international efforts to combat sex trafficking whether or not the individual being trafficked consents to engage in prostitution.” The amendment was struck on a point of order.
