FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
Thursday, May 07, 2009
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Pro-Choice Caucus Co-Chairs U.S. Reps. Slaughter
and DeGette Applaud Family Planning Funding in Obama’s Budget
Slaughter and DeGette Applaud Step in
Right Direction, Call for More Action
Washington, DC – Bi-partisan
Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus Co-Chairs Louise M. Slaughter (D-NY),
Chairwoman of the House Committee on Rules, and Diana DeGette (D-CO), Vice
Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, today applauded family
planning investments in President Obama’s budget proposal.
The President’s budget calls for an
additional $10 million over fiscal year 2009 levels for Title X Family
Planning programs, critical initiatives to improve women’s health care and reduce
the rate of unintended pregnancies and abortions. The budget also supports
teen pregnancy prevention programs with proven track records and provides
funding through Medicaid to improve access to family planning services for
low income women and families. These increases in family planning funding
come as President Obama made $17 billion worth of cuts to the budget.
“These increased investments in key
family planning programs are a step in the right direction and I applaud
President Obama,” said Rep.
Slaughter. “Our
commitment to increasing budget savings and reducing unintended pregnancies
go hand in hand. It is estimated that for every dollar spent on family planning
services, almost four dollars are saved in public health spending.”
“This budget shows that President Obama is
looking out for the American taxpayer by redirecting funds from ineffective
programs to those that actually work,” said Rep. DeGette. “Family planning services prevent unintended
pregnancies, reduce the need for abortion, and save money. We must keep working together to implement
public health policies that are based on sound science.”
Slaughter
and DeGette are the sponsors of the Prevention
First Act, comprehensive legislation to protect women’s reproductive
health, reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and abortions and
decrease the spread of STDs. The Prevention First Act calls for $700 million
for Title X programs.
“We still have much to
do,” Slaughter continued. “If we
want to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and abortions in this
country, the methodology is clear – empower women to prevent unintended
pregnancies through education and access to contraception. A continued commitment to family planning
services will do just that.”
BACKGROUND
For the first time in decades, the
nation’s teen birth rate is on the rise.
Additionally, research shows, and a majority
of the public believes, that improving access to family planning
services is the most effective way to reduce the number of unintended
pregnancies and to reduce abortions.
The Prevention
First Act would do the following:
Increase Funding for the National
Family Planning Program (Title X).
Expand Medicaid Family Planning
Services.
End Insurance Discrimination Against
Women.
Improve Awareness about Emergency
Contraception (EC).
Provide Compassionate Assistance for
Rape Victims.
Reduce Teen Pregnancy.
Ensure that All Federal Programs
Provide Age
Appropriate Medically Accurate Sex
Education.
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