Abstinence-Only Education

Under the Bush Administration, federal support for “abstinence-only” education programs has expanded rapidly. The federal government will spend approximately $170 million on abstinence-only education programs in fiscal year 2005, more than twice the amount spent in fiscal year 2001. As a result, abstinence-only education, which promotes abstinence from sexual activity without teaching basic facts about contraception, now reaches millions of children and adolescents each year. In addition, the Administration has pushed to promote abstinence-only education programs in global HIV/AIDS prevention efforts. (Last Updated Feb. 9, 2005)

Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Rep. Waxman Questions HHS, CDC Censorship of Conference Session
In a letter to HHS Secretary Leavitt, Rep. Waxman asks why HHS and CDC censored a conference session critical of abstinence-only education in response to political pressure.

Thursday, February 16, 2006
New Federally Funded Abstinence Program Guidelines Based on Ideology, Not Science
In a letter, Rep. Waxman calls on HHS Secretary Leavitt to retract new Community-Based Abstinence Education funding guidelines that are based on ideology, not public health.

Wednesday, October 12, 2005
Presidential Advisor Gives Misleading Comments about HHS Website
Rep. Waxman writes to Presidential Advisor Claude Allen regarding comments he made that incorrectly assert that inaccuracies on the 4parents.gov website have been fixed.

Thursday, October 06, 2005
Rep. Waxman Requests GAO Review of National Abstinence Clearinghouse Contract
In a letter to GAO, Rep. Waxman raises concerns about possible ideological bias and financial conflicts of interest in a HHS funded review of abstinence-only curricula.

Wednesday, July 13, 2005
Experts: HHS Teen Health Website Inaccurate and Misleading
Update: In response to the expert reviews commissioned by Rep. Waxman, the Senate Appropriations Committee directed HHS to review the website, correct erroneous content, and to include more information about risks associated with alcohol and tobacco use.

Tuesday, February 15, 2005
AIDS Grant Awarded for 'Non-Suitable' Proposal
A politically well connected organization that promotes abstinence education has received a major federal grant under the President’s AIDS program despite its proposal having been rated "not suitable for funding" by an independent review panel.

Tuesday, January 18, 2005
GAO Asked to Review Process for Determining Abstinence Program Accuracy
Rep. Waxman, joined by 19 other members of Congress, requests that GAO review HHS's processes for determining the accuracy and evaluating the effectiveness of "abstinence-only" education programs.

Wednesday, December 01, 2004
Federally Funded Abstinence-Only Programs Teach False And Misleading Information
A report released by Rep. Waxman shows that many federally funded abstinence-only education programs use curricula that distort information about the effectiveness of contraceptives, misrepresent the risks of abortion, blur religion and science, treat stereotypes about girls and boys as scientific fact, and contain basic scientific errors.

Monday, October 27, 2003
HHS May Use Audits to Harass Safe-Sex Groups
Rep. Waxman expresses continuing concern that HHS may be using audits to penalize groups who do not adhere to the Administration's abstinence-only approach to sex education.

Wednesday, February 19, 2003
Administration Promotes Unproven 'Abstinence-Only' Policies
Rep. Waxman and 33 other members write HHS Secretary Thompson to protest a string of actions by the Administration to promote its unproven 'abstinence-only' policies on international HIV/AIDS prevention efforts.

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