Since 1965, USAID has distributed over $6.6 billion to international population control programs. In the 1960s and ‘70s there was a fear that the world was overpopulated and would soon experience a shortage of food and other necessities thus leading to worldwide instability.

In 1974, Secretary of State Henry Kissenger published National Security Study Memorandum 200 (NSSM 200), in which he detailed the "threat" of global population on U.S. national security. It included recommendations to fund population control programs both domestically and internationally.

In 1974, the U.S. asserted that high fertility rates were an impediment to economic development.

In 1977, the Carter Administration proposed legislative language, later enacted in Section 104(d) of the Foreign Assistance Act (FAA) of 1961, which sought to link population growth and traditional development assistance programs.

In 1984, at a population conference in Mexico City, Reagan Administration officials said that population growth was not necessarily a negative force in economic development, but was instead a "neutral phenomenon." The Administration also announced that it would terminate USAID support for any organizations (but not governments) that were involved in voluntary abortion activities, even if activities were paid for with non-U.S. funds—this became known as the "Mexico City Policy."

In 1987, Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) filed a lawsuit against USAID challenging the "Mexico City Policy." In 1990, the U.S. District Court and Court of Appeals ruled against PPFA, and in 1991, the Supreme Court refused to review the lower court's decision—thus leaving the policy in place.

On January 22, 1993, President Clinton revoked the Mexico City Policy and his Administration proceeded over the next 8 years to actively promote international family planning, abortion lobbying and so-called "safe abortion" campaigns.

On January 22, 2001, President George W. Bush signed an executive memorandum directing the Administrator of USAID "to reinstate in full all of the requirements of the Mexico City Policy in effect on January 19, 1993.""IB96206: Population Assistance and Family Planning Programs, " CRS, January 23, 2001.

NSSM 200 was classified and not released until 1989. Complete text can be found at http://www.pop.org/students/nssm200.html

"Restoration of the Mexico City Policy," Executive Memorandum for the Administrator of the USAID from President George W. Bush, January 22, 2001.