Population Connection Action Fund is a left-leaning lobbying organization that supports global population control policies. The organization is the lobbying arm of Population Connection, which was founded in 1968 as Zero Population Growth by environmentalist and population control activist Paul Ehrlich directly following the publication of his controversial 1968 book, The Population Bomb.

Population Connection and its affiliated organizations affirm that population growth has been the primary driver of environmental degradation and that the best way to promote environmentalism is to limit the growth of the earth’s population to a rate that causes no growth in the number of people. The organization lobbies for left-leaning policies regarding abortion, contraceptive use, and environmentalism and donates to Democratic congressional candidates through the Population Connection Action Fund PAC. ¹

The Population Connection Action Fund has longstanding partnerships and organizes rallies, protests, and lobbying efforts with left-leaning and pro-abortion organizations such as the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the National Organization for Women, and the American Civil Liberties Union to oppose restrictions to abortion at the state and federal level in the United States. ²

Activity

Population Connection and the Population Connection Action mobilize the network’s claimed membership of 55,000 environmental and pro-abortion activists and urge them to attend protests or email and call Congress in support of pro-abortion stances. ³

Advocacy

The Population Connection Action Fund lobbies for three main legislative priorities, all of which support Democratic-sponsored and left-leaning legislation and government policies. The foremost policy supported by the organization is the repeal of an executive action that has been enacted by all Republican presidents since 1984 that bans U.S. funded aid programs across the world to provide information about abortion to individuals receiving aid. The rule has been systematically revoked by all Democratic Presidents since it was first adopted, including by President Joe Biden shortly after he took office in 2021. Population Connection Action Fund lobbied for the repeal of the rule shortly after Biden’s election. ⁴  The organization also supports the Global Health, Empowerment and Rights Act (S. 142 / H.R. 556), legislation that would prevent future Republican Presidents from enacting similar rules. ⁵ The legislation is co-sponsored by 44 of the 50 Senate Democrats along with Republican Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK). ⁶

The organization also lobbies for U.S. funding of the United Nations Population Fund, an agency of the United Nations that provides contraceptives, maternal health services, including safe delivery kits, treatment for obstetric fistula, and other services in 155 countries to those in areas devastated by natural disaster. ⁷ In 2017, the Trump Administration withdrew funding from the UN Population Fund over allegations that the program provided funding for coercive abortions and forced sterilization in China. While the UN denied such claims, the UN Population Fund has long been the subject of criticism from Republicans over its support of Chinese programs. ⁸

The Population Connection Action Fund also supports repealing the Helms Amendment, a 1973 law that prohibits the use of U.S. Foreign Assistance programs for funding oversees abortions, and increasing U.S. funding for global family planning and contraceptive campaigns from $607 million to $1.6 billion. ⁹

The Population Connection Action Fund also helps organize left-leaning protests and is part of many coalitions around pro-abortion organizing and protesting. The organization hosted and participated in several protests against the nomination of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh with rallies titled “Cancel Kavanaugh”, “Save SCOTUS,” and “Save Roe v. Wade.” ¹⁰ The organization also hosted an advocacy and activist training in partnership with Planned Parenthood, Civitas Public Affairs Group, and the National Domestic Workers Alliance. ¹¹

People

John Seager is the president and CEO of Population Connection and the Population Connection Action Fund. Seager previously worked for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and was Chief of Staff to U.S. Representative Peter Kostmayer (D-PA). ¹² Kostmayer served as president of Zero Population Growth after leaving Congress and Seager succeeded him as president of the organization. ¹³ Seager earned a total compensation of $293,000 in 2018. ¹⁴

Brian Dixon leads lobbying efforts for the organization as the senior vice president of Population Connection and the Population Connection Action Fund. Dixon has been with the organization since 1993 and also served on Rep. Kostmayer’s staff. ¹⁵

1. “Mission and Programs.” Population Connection. Accessed April 29, 2021. https://www.populationconnection.org/us/mission-and-programs/
2. Rao, Nina “30 Years of ZPG.” Population Connection. 1998. Accessed April 29, 2021.  https://www.populationconnection.org/us/30-years-of-zpg/
3. “About.” Population Connection Action Fund. Accessed April 29, 2021. https://www.populationconnectionaction.org/about/
4. Wulfhorst, Ellen. “Biden win seen as green light for women’s reproductive rights.” Reuters. November 7, 2020. Accessed April 29, 2021.

   https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-women-abortion-trfn-idUSKBN27N0SG

5. “Advocate.” Population Connection. Accessed April 29, 2021. https://www.populationconnection.org/advocate/
6. “S.142 – Global Health, Empowerment and Rights Act.” Congress.gov. Accessed April 29, 2021.  https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/142?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22Global+Health%2C+Empowerment+and+Rights+Act%22%5D%7D&s=2&r=1
7. “About.” Population Connection Action Fund. Accessed April 29, 2021. https://www.populationconnectionaction.org/about/
8. “US Withdraws Funding from United Nations Population Fund.” BBC. April 4, 2017. Accessed April 29, 2021.  https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-39487617
9. “Advocate.” Population Connection. Accessed April 29, 2021. https://www.populationconnection.org/advocate/
10. “IRS Form 990.” Population Connection. 2018. Accessed April 29, 2021.  https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/941703155/10_2019_prefixes_92-95%2F941703155_201812_990_2019100916732645
11. “IRS Form 990.” Population Connection. 2018. Accessed April 29, 2021.  https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/941703155/10_2019_prefixes_92-95%2F941703155_201812_990_2019100916732645
12. “John Seager.” Huffington Post. Accessed April 29, 2021.  https://www.huffpost.com/author/john-seager
13. “Peter H. Kostmayer: Revolving Door Summary” Center for Responsive Politics. Accessed April 29, 2021. https://www.opensecrets.org/revolving/rev_summary.php?id=70717
14. “IRS Form 990” Population Connection. 2018. Accessed April 29, 2021.  https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/941703155/10_2019_prefixes_92-95%2F941703155_201812_990_2019100916732645
15. “Brian Dixon.” LinkedIn Profile. Accessed April 29, 2021. https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-dixon-5862904/