Inclusion Of Abstinence-Only Funding In Senate Health Reform Bill Surprises Advocates On Both Sides

email to a friend

printer friendly

opinions

Current Article Ratings:

Patient / Public:
Healthcare Prof:

The inclusion of funding for abstinence-only sex education programs in the Senate health reform bill has "thrown advocates on both sides of the sex education debate for a loop," CQ Weekly reports. In September, Democratic Sens. Kent Conrad (N.D.) and Blanche Lincoln (Ark.) joined a coalition of 10 Republicans -- led by Sen. Orrin Hatch (Utah) -- to add language to the Senate Finance Committee's health reform bill (S 1796) that would reauthorize the funding for five years. Jim Manley, a spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), said that Reid -- a longtime opponent of abstinence-only programs -- included the provision because he was aiming to mirror the Finance Committee's legislation.

Appropriations for abstinence-only sex education programs have been declining since Democrats regained control of Congress in 2007. President Obama allocated no money for abstinence-only programs in his fiscal year 2010 budget request. Both the House and the Senate Appropriations Committee approved HHS spending bills in July that cut funding for abstinence-only programs, opting for a "teen pregnancy prevention initiative" that would discuss abstinence along with contraception.

Terry Perkins, president of the conservative Family Research Council, said that the Senate bill "would give a surprise boost to an abstinence movement." Marcela Howell, a spokesperson for the liberal Advocates for Youth, said that the inclusion of the funding was "an unfortunate move" but that she is hopeful that the provision will not be included in the final bill. "If Republicans aren't going to vote for this bill, I can't see why it should include their provision," she said (Zeller, CQ Weekly, 11/30).

'Personal Responsibility' Amendment Includes Sex Ed Funding

Kaiser Health News on Monday examined several provisions of the Senate health reform bill that have received little attention, including $50 million per year from 2010 to 2015 that would primarily go to states to support sex education programs. The funding also could be used for "adult preparation" programs that promote "positive self-esteem, relationship dynamics, friendships, dating, romantic involvement, marriage and family interaction," as well as programs to teach financial literacy and stress management. About $10 million of the money would go to "innovative youth pregnancy prevention strategies" in areas with high teen birth rates. The amendment was passed in the Senate Finance Committee, with Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) joining Democrats in support of the provision (Carey et al., Kaiser Health News, 11/30).

Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.nationalpartnership.org. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.

© 2009 The Advisory Board Company. All rights reserved.

• Additional
• References
• Citations