Abstinence-Education Funding in Jeopardy

 
Senate Budget Committee is expected to vote Thursday on key amendment.

The monstrous stimulus bill recently passed by Congress curiously left out funding for Title V abstinence-education grants, which are set to expire June 30. 
Republican Sens. Jim Bunning, Ky., and Lindsay Graham, S.C., plan to propose an amendment in the Budget Committee on Thursday to save a place for Title V in the 2010 budget.

Valerie Huber, executive director of the National Abstinence Education Association, said the amendment provides the best chance at preserving the key funding.

"Title V is vital, particularly since we see not only STD (sexually transmitted disease) rates going up, but also teen-birth rates beginning to go up," she said. "More than ever, teens need to receive skills that will help them avoid those consequences by delaying sexual activity until they're married.

"Abstinence education is the only approach that provides those skills for teens."

Ashley Horne, federal policy analyst at Focus on the Family Action, said this is a fight family advocates can win.

"This is one of our only chances to preserve funding for abstinence education under Title V," she said, "so it's very important people contact the Budget Committee right away."

Contact: Jennifer Mesko
Source: CitizenLink
Source URL: http://www.citizenlink.org
Publish Date: March 25, 2009
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