Abstinence-only Education

I strongly support repealing the abstinence-only education programs that have received over $1.5 billion under the Bush Administration. I believe that the only way to empower our youth to prevent teen pregnancy, stop the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, and protect their physical and emotional health is to arm them with complete information.

For this reason, I have cosponsored the Responsible Education About Life (REAL) Act, HR 1653, which would create a grant program that would authorize state grants for family life education, including education about both abstinence and contraception, to prevent teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.

I also want to let you know that I signed a letter to the Appropriations Committee requesting an increase in funding for Title X, the national family planning program. My colleagues and I have called for an increase of $102 million over FY 07.

In addition, I have signed a letter to the House Energy and Commerce Committee asking them not to reauthorize an abstinence-only program in lieu of a comprehensive sexual education program.. The abstinence-only program, which is funded by Title V of the Social Security Act, expired at the end of June. A two-month extension was passed in the House in order to give the Committee more time to evaluate the program. Hopefully, we can move beyond the limitations of abstinence-only education and instead provide our youth with appropriate, correct medical information about sexual activity.

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