Political Party/527

Population Connection Action Fund PAC

Location:

Washington, DC

Type:

Pro-Abortion PAC

Financials:

Total Raised:    $167,148

Total Spent:     $151,507

Begin Cash on Hand:   $59,176

End Cash on Hand Receipts:   $74,817

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The Population Connection Action Fund PAC is a left-leaning political action committee that donates to Democratic congressional candidates who support left-leaning policies regarding abortion, contraceptive use, and environmentalism. 1

The organization is the PAC 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. The PAC is also affiliated with the Population Connection Action Fund, the lobbying arm of Population Connection. Population Connection and its affiliated organizations hold the belief 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 groups lobby for left-leaning policies regarding abortion and contraceptive use. 2

The Population Connection Action Fund PAC donates exclusively to Democratic candidates, and donated $140,000 directly to competitive Democratic U.S. House of Representatives campaigns during the 2020 election cycle. 3

Activity

The Population Connection Action Fund PAC began during the 2014 election cycle and has exclusively supported Democrats since its founding.  The PAC donated $14,000 during the 2014 cycle, $71,500 during the 2016 cycle, $136,000 during the 2018 cycle, and 140,000 during the 2020 election cycle. 4

Democratic congressional candidates supported by the PAC include Joe Crowley (D-NY), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Xochitl Torres Small (D-NM), Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), Jennifer Wexton (D-VA), Carolyn Bourdeaux (D-GA), Katie Porter (D-CA), and Joaquin Castro (D-TX). The PAC supported a total of 35 candidates during the 2020 election cycle with contribution ranging from $500 to the federal maximum of $5,000. 5

Supported Issues

Through its political giving, the Population Connection Action Fund PAC attempts to draw support for the three main legislative priorities of Population Connection and the Population Connection Action Fund.  All of the supported policies of the organization are 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 from providing information about abortion to individuals receiving aid. The rule has been revoked by all Democratic Presidents since it was first adopted, including by President Joe Biden shortly after he took office in 2021. The Population Connection Action Fund lobbied for the repeal of the rule shortly after Biden’s election. 6

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 actions. 7 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). 8

Population Connection 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. 9 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. 10

The Population Connection Action Fund also lobbies to repeal 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. 11

Population Connection and affiliates also help 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.” 12 The organization also hosted an advocacy and activist training in partnership with Planned Parenthood, Civitas Public Affairs Group, and the National Domestic Workers Alliance. 13

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). 14 Kostmayer served as president of Zero Population Growth after leaving Congress and Seager succeeded him as president of the organization. 15 Seager earned a total compensation of $293,000 in 2018. 16

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. Peter Kostmayer’s staff. 17

References

  1. “Population Connection PAC Profile: Summary.” Center for Responsive Politics. Accessed April 29, 2021.  https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/population-connection/C00564799/summary/2020
  2. “Mission and Programs.” Population Connection. Accessed April 29, 2021. https://www.populationconnection.org/us/mission-and-programs/
  3. “Population Connection PAC Profile: Summary.” Center for Responsive Politics. Accessed April 29, 2021. https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/population-connection/C00564799/summary/2020
  4. “Population Connection PAC Profile: Summary.” Center for Responsive Politics. Accessed April 29, 2021. https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/population-connection/C00564799/summary/2020
  5. “Population Connection PAC Profile: Candidate Recipients.” Center for Responsive Politics. Accessed April 29, 2021.  https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/population-connection/C00564799/candidate-recipients/2020
  6. 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
  7. “Advocate.” Population Connection. Accessed April 29, 2021. https://www.populationconnection.org/advocate/
  8. “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
  9. “About.” Population Connection Action Fund. Accessed April 29, 2021. https://www.populationconnectionaction.org/about/
  10. “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
  11. “Advocate.” Population Connection. Accessed April 29, 2021. https://www.populationconnection.org/advocate/
  12. “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
  13. “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
  14. “John Seager.” Huffington Post. Accessed April 29, 2021.  https://www.huffpost.com/author/john-seager
  15. “Peter H. Kostmayer: Revolving Door Summary” Center for Responsive Politics. Accessed April 29, 2021. https://www.opensecrets.org/revolving/rev_summary.php?id=70717
  16. “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
  17. “Brian Dixon.” LinkedIn Profile. Accessed April 29, 2021. https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-dixon-5862904/
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Population Connection Action Fund PAC


Washington, DC