POLITICO: Democratic lawmakers warn Pompeo against possible ban on sex health terminology
“Several Democratic members of Congress are warning Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to not move forward with a possible ban on State Department employees using terms like ‘sexual and reproductive health’ and ‘comprehensive sexuality education.’ The lawmakers — Reps. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), and Lois Frankel (D-Fla.) — argue in a letter sent Wednesday to Pompeo that banning State Department employees from using those terms would be regressive for U.S. global health programs. The letter comes after POLITICO reported that conservative political appointees in the Trump administration were pushing for the proposal two weeks ago. … ‘We urge you to reject any policy that censors American diplomats, undermines global health, and threatens the tremendous progress that has been shepherded by U.S. global health assistance,’ the letter said” (Choi, 11/14).