Lawmakers Ask HHS Secretary Leavitt To Withdraw Appointment Of Orr As Acting Head Of Family Planning Programs

Main Category: Public Health
Also Included In: Sexual Health / STDs
Article Date: 22 Oct 2007 - 1:00 PDT

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Several Democratic members of Congress in two separate letters have urged HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt to withdraw the appointment of Susan Orr, former associate commissioner for HHS' Administration for Children and Families, as the acting HHS deputy assistant secretary for the Office of Population Affairs, the Washington Post reports (Washington Post, 10/19).

The Bush administration appointed Orr to the position on Monday. Orr will administer $283 million in annual family planning grants that provide low-income families and others with contraceptive services, counseling and preventive screenings. In 2001, Orr, then an official with the Family Research Council, applauded a proposal by President Bush to stop requiring all health insurance plans for federal employees to cover a variety of contraceptives. Orr in 2001 said, "We're quite pleased [with the proposal] because fertility is not a disease" (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 10/17).

Eight House Democrats in a letter referred to Bush's appointment last year of Eric Keroack for the same position, adding, "We believe the appointment of Dr. Orr is yet another misguided decision by an administration that is intent on undermining women's health in the United States." They added, "The use of contraceptives is a proven success for reducing unintended pregnancy and the need for abortion. Yet this marks the second time the administration has appointed an individual who clearly lacks a commitment to the mission of (HHS' family planning programs) and frankly seems unabashedly opposed to birth control overall."

Democratic Reps. Lois Capps (Calif.), Diana DeGette (Colo.), Rosa DeLauro (Conn.), Michael Michaud (Maine), Jerrold Nadler (N.Y.), Nita Lowey (N.Y.), Rep. Louise Slaughter (N.Y.) and Henry Waxman (Calif.) signed the House letter, CQ HealthBeat reports (Reichard, CQ HealthBeat, 10/18). According to the Post, 19 Democratic senators also sent a separate letter to Leavitt (Washington Post, 10/19).

Reaction
HHS spokesperson Kevin Schweers did not respond directly when asked if Leavitt would reconsider the appointment but said Orr's "breadth of programmatic and managerial experience makes her highly qualified to serve as acting director" (CQ HealthBeat, 10/18). Orr would not have accepted the position if she could not support the administration's policies, which include providing "safe and effective contraceptive products and services to clients in need," Schweers said, adding, "Of course, we also support the teaching of abstinence to young people as the only 100% effective means of preventing pregnancy, HIV and sexually transmitted infections."

Orr's appointment "really is an Alice in Wonderland moment, where you have an individual appointed for a position overseeing birth control who opposes federal involvement in birth control," DeGette said Thursday at a news conference hosted by Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.), who is running for the Democratic presidential nomination, said Orr's appointment "sends a message to women that ideology trumps women's health." She added, "It's beyond satire to see what this administration has once again done. ... It's the fox guarding the henhouse when it comes to family planning" (Crary, AP/San Jose Mercury News, 10/18).

Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation© 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.