Senate Democrats recently approved a measure to repeal former President Ronald Reagan's Mexico City policy. Such a move would permanently open the door for abortion funding overseas.

In 1984, Reagan instituted the policy which bans federal funds for groups that perform or promote abortions internationally.

Since then, presidents have used executive orders to repeal or reinstate the ban. President Barack Obama repealed it in 2009.

Now the Senate Appropriations Committee has approved an amendment requiring congressional approval to reinstate the policy.

Pro-lifers said that will make it harder to put the ban back in place the next time a pro-life president takes office.

Several Republican lawmakers voted against the measure and expressed their frustration with it.

"It's us funding abortions overseas," Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., told LifeNews. "There are a lot of people in the country that find this deeply offensive."

The full Senate still has to approve the measure.