Congress Considering Increased Funding for Abstinence-Only Programs
Seattle, WA – Karen Cooper, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Washington, said her organization is mobilizing its grassroots activists to take action on two key House spending bills that include funding for domestic and international health priorities. "There is good news and bad news in these bills," Cooper said. “We’re pleased that the House Appropriations Committee will increase funding for the Title X family-planning program, but there are other problems in the legislation that need attention, particularly the proposed increase in funding for ineffectual “abstinence-only” programs.” This indefensible $27 million increase comes on the heels of a government funded report which proves that these programs do not work, and contain medically inaccurate information. “The Washington State Legislature just passed a bill requiring that sex education in our state’s public schools be comprehensive and medically accurate,” Cooper said. “NARAL Pro-Choice Washington is confident that the pro-choice members of our Congressional delegation will stand with local legislators and parents in our state: we don’t want programs that teach inaccurate, incomplete information in our schools and we don’t our tax dollars supporting them either.” The second bill includes a partial repeal of the global gag rule - but then fails to renew funding for the United Nations Family Planning Program (UNFPA) which subsidizes birth control and other reproductive-health services (not abortion) to the world's poorest women. The Bush White House has cancelled these funds five years in a row. NARAL Pro-Choice Washington urges our entire Congressional delegation to stand up for sensible family planning programs and say no to scientifically inaccurate and ineffective abstinence-only programs that waste taxpayer’s money. NARAL Pro-Choice Washington is the leading grassroots pro-choice advocacy organization in Washington state. NARAL Pro-Choice Washington works to protect every woman’s right to access the full range of reproductive health options, including preventing unintended pregnancy, bearing healthy children, and choosing legal abortion.
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