A MEXICO CITY WORK AROUND? You may remember that barring foreign health clinics from receiving U.S. aid if they provide contraceptives or abortion services was one of Bush's very first actions upon taking office in 2001. Now Senate Democrats are trying to poke a few holes in the so-called "Mexico City Policy." The bill, which passed the House in June, would provide American-funded contraceptives directly to NGOs currently ineligible for aid, and allow the local groups to distribute them. According to CQ Today (subscription required), Republicans claim giving NGOs free condoms would encourage them to spend their resources on abortions instead. --Dana Goldstein
