Bush Appoints Orr Acting Head Of HHS Family Planning Programs

Main Category: Sexual Health / STDs
Also Included In: Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 18 Oct 2007 - 5:00 PDT

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The Bush administration on Monday appointed 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. 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."

Mary Jane Gallagher, president of the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association, referring to Bush's appointment last year of Eric Keroack for the same position, said, "We have another appointment that just truly politicizes family planning." She added, "The last time I looked, both Republicans and Democrats used contraception in America." HHS spokesperson Kevin Schweers said Orr's "breadth of programmatic and managerial experience makes her highly qualified to serve as acting director" (Lee, Washington Post, 10/17).

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