Senate Committee Restores Abstinence-Only Funding

Late last night, the Senate Finance Committee approved two amendments to the health care reform bill that would provide millions of dollars in funding -- one for comprehensive sexual health education and the other for abstinence-only-until-marriage programs.

Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) introduced an amendment allocating $75 million to states for The Personal Responsibility Education for Adulthood Training, a comprehensive sexual health education funding stream. Of that money, $50 million would be used for evidence-based, medically-accurate, age-appropriate programs that provide information about abstinence, contraception, HIV/AIDS, and healthy relationships. The other $25 million would fund new adolescent wellness programs, research, and evaluation. The Baucus Amendment passed 14-9 with all the Democratic members and Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME) voting in favor.

Surprisingly, the committee also voted in favor of an amendment, proposed by Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT), to reinstate $50 million per year to the failed Title V program, a funding stream for rigid and ineffective abstinence-only programs. These funds would be used solely for teaching abstinence-only-until-marriage to the exclusion of other sexual health topics. The Hatch Amendment passed 12-11 with support from all the Republican members and Senators Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and Kent Conrad (D-ND).

Earlier this year, President Obama zeroed out all funding for abstinence-only-until-marriage programs, including Title V, from his 2010 budget. While the Obama budget and Baucus Amendment are huge victories for sexual health education funding, we must ensure that Congress keep any abstinence-only money out of the final budget. Both the amendments approved by the Senate Finance Committee are not final, as they will likely be debated further in committee, before the full Senate, and in conference with the House's version of the health care reform bill.

Please contact Illinois Senators Roland Burris and Dick Durbin today! Send a quick message or make a phone call asking them to fund responsible sexual health education, to keep abstinence-only dollars out, and to urge their Senate colleagues to do the same.