Coalition Letter to the House Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee Urging Rejection of Funding to Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Programs
We are writing to urge you, as a member of the House Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee (Labor-HHS), to oppose any funding for abstinence-only-until-marriage programs. As organizations committed to sound science and the health and welfare of our nation’s youth, we wish to express our profound concern regarding funding levels for abstinence-only-until-marriage programs appropriated through the Labor-HHS spending bill which your subcommittee is scheduled to mark up this week. This bill includes two discretionary abstinence-only-until-marriage programs: the Community-Based Abstinence Education (CBAE) grant program and the Adolescent Family Life Act (AFLA). The President’s FY’07 budget request proposed increasing funding for abstinence-only-until-marriage programs to $204 million—the entire $26 million increase is slated for the Community Based Abstinence Education (CBAE) account.
Close to $1 billion has been spent on abstinence-only-until-marriage programs since 1996. Funding increases for these programs persist despite the fact that there is absolutely no evidence proving that they are effective. To the contrary, evaluations prove that, at best, these programs are ineffective, and, at worst, they are harming young people through the provision of medically inaccurate information and the censorship of topics important to the health and well being of young people.
In light of recent research highlighting the lack of medical accuracy and ineffectiveness of these programs, we urge you to spend no more money on abstinence-only-until-marriage programs.
At a time when the Administration emphasizes accountability in funding only programs with demonstrated success, it is particularly inappropriate not only to continue but to increase funding for an unproven program. The continued funding of unproven programs is especially troubling in a time when the Administration has sought to cut vital social services and proposes that other valuable and proven public health programs face the chopping block. It is incumbent on Congress to reassess the funding level of these unproven programs, assert control over taxpayers’ dollars, and discontinue funding for abstinence-only-until-marriage programs.
Given the current fiscal environment and the lack of evidence to support abstinence-only-until-marriage programs, we believe it would be fiscally irresponsible for Congress to spend any more taxpayer dollars on these programs.
To this end we urge you to dedicate funding from unproven abstinence-only-until-marriage programs to other worthwhile and chronically underfunded public health programs with proven results, such as programs that promote family planning, HIV prevention, and STD prevention, as well as those that support health and medical services for children. The nation’s taxpayers—and young people–deserve to see their hard earned tax dollars fund only programs that have been proven effective.
Sincerely,
9to5 Bay Area
(CA)
9to5 Colorado
9to5, National Association of
Working Women
9to5 Poverty Network Initiative
- Wisconsin
ACLU of Alaska
ACLU of Vermont
Advocates for
Youth
AIDS Action Committee of
Massachusetts, Inc.
AIDS Alliance for Children,
Youth & Families
AIDS Foundation of Chicago
(IL)
The AIDS
Institute
AIDS Project Los Angeles (CA)
AIDS Resource Alliance, Inc.
(Williamsport, PA)
AIDS Services of Dallas
(TX)
AIDS Taskforce of Greater
Cleveland (OH)
AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati
(OH)
Alaska Pro-Choice
Alliance
Alaska Women’s Lobby
Albany County AIDS Project
(Laramie, WY)
Albany County Family Planning
(Laramie, WY)
Alliance For Full Acceptance
(Charleston, SC)
Alliance Medical Center
(CA)
Alternatives to Marriage
Project, Inc.
American Academy of HIV
Medicine
American Association of
Sexuality Educators, Counselors, &
herapists
(AASECT)
American Association of
University Women (AAUW)
American Civil Liberties Union
(ACLU)
American College Health
Association
American Humanist Association
American Public Health
Association (APHA)
American Social Health
Association (ASHA)
Americans for Religious
Liberty
amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS
Research
Arkansas NOW (National
Organization for Women)
Association of Reproductive
Health Professionals (ARHP)
Atlanta 9to5
(GA)
Backline
Barnert Temple Sisterhood
(NJ)
Basic Rights
Oregon
Brooklyn Pro-Choice Network
(NY)
Business and Professional
Women/AZ
California Church
IMPACT
Catholics for a Free
Choice
Center for Health and Gender
Equity (CHANGE)
Center for HIV Law and Policy
Center for Reproductive Rights
Chicago Foundation for Women
(IL)
Coalition for Positive
Sexuality
Colorado Organization for
Latina Opportunity and Reproductive
Rights
Community HIV/AIDS Mobilization
Project (CHAMP)
Concerned Clergy For Choice
(Albany, NY)
Congregation B’nai Jehoshua
Beth Elohim (BJBE)
Sisterhood (Glenview, IL)
Cortland Coalition for Choice
(NY)
DC Campaign to Prevent Teen
Pregnancy
Equality Illinois
Equality Maryland
Equality North
Carolina
Family Health Council of
Central Pennsylvania, Inc.
Family Planning Advocates of
New York State
Family Planning Association of
Maine
Family Planning Association of
Northeast Ohio, Inc.
Family Planning Council
(Philadelphia, PA)
Gay Men’s Health Crisis
(GMHC)
The Georgia Podcast
Network
Get the Facts NY
GLSEN -- the Gay, Lesbian and
Straight Education Network
Healthy Teen Network
HIV Medicine Association
(Alexandria, VA)
Housing Works
(NY)
Human Rights
Campaign
Hyacinth AIDS Foundation of New
Jersey
Idaho Women’s Network
Illinois Caucus for Adolescent
Health
Illinois
PTA
International Women’s Health
Coalition
Kansas National Organization
for Women (NOW)
L.A. Gay & Lesbian
Center (CA)
Lake View High School Health
Center (Chicago, IL)
Legal Momentum
Lifelong AIDS Alliance
(Seattle, WA)
Living Room, Inc. (Atlanta,
GA)
Maine Women’s Lobby
Marriage Equality
RI
Mary Wohlford
Foundation
The Massachusetts Alliance on
Teen Pregnancy
McPherson County National
Organization for Women (NOW) (KS)
Michigan Positive Action
Coalition
Minnesota AIDS Project
Minnesota Organization on
Adolescent Pregnancy, Prevention and
Parenting
Montana Coalition Against
Domestic and Sexual Violence
Morris County (NJ)
NOW
Ms. Foundation for Women
NAMES Project Foundation,
Central New Jersey Chapter
NARAL Pro-Choice America
NARAL Pro-Choice California
NARAL Pro-Choice
Colorado
NARAL Pro-Choice Connecticut
NARAL Pro-Choice Iowa
NARAL Pro-Choice Missouri
NARAL Pro-Choice Montana
NARAL Pro-Choice New Hampshire
NARAL Pro-Choice North
Carolina
NARAL Pro-Choice South Dakota
NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin
& Foundation
NARAL Pro-Choice
Wyoming
National Abortion Federation
(NAF)
National Association of County
and City Health Officials (NACCHO)
National Association of Nurse
Practitioners in Women’s Health
NPWH)
National Center for Transgender
Equality
National Coalition of STD
Directors
National Council of Jewish
Women
National Council of Women’s
Organizations
National Dissemination Center
for Children with Disabilities
NICHCY)
National Education Association
(NEA)
National Family Planning and
Reproductive Health Association
NFPRHA)
National Gay and Lesbian Task
Force
National Health Law
Program
National Network of Abortion
Funds (NNAF)
National Organization For Women
(NOW)
National Partnership for Women
& Families
National Women’s Law Center National Youth Advocacy
Coalition
NYAC)
Needle Exchange Program of
Asheville (NC)
New Jersey Chapter of Americans
for Democratic Action
New Jersey Chapter, Sierra
Club
New Mexico Coalition to Support
Sexuality Education (NMCSSE)
New Mexico POZ
Coalition
NJ HIV Over
Fifty
North Shore Congregation Israel
Sisterhood (Glencoe, IL)
Northeast Women’s Center
(Philadelphia, PA)
Northern Adirondack Planned
Parenthood, Inc. (NY)
Northwest Chicago
Choice
Northwest Suburban Illinois
NOW
Northwest Women’s Law Center
(WA)
NYC AIDS Housing
Network
Ohio AIDS
Coalition
Our Bodies,
Ourselves
Peer Health and Sexuality
Education (PHASE) team, Young
Women’s Project
Pennsylvania NOW,
Inc.
People For the American Way
PFLAG National (Parents,
Families and Friends of Lesbians and
Gays)
Philadelphia Women’s Center
(PA)
Physicians for Reproductive
Choice and Health
Pierce County AIDS Foundation
(Tacoma, WA)
Planned Parenthood Advocacy
Fund of Delaware
Planned Parenthood Advocates of
Indiana
Planned Parenthood Affiliates
of California, Inc.
Planned Parenthood Affiliates
of New Jersey
Planned Parenthood Association
of the Mercer Area (NJ)
Planned Parenthood Association
of Utah
Planned Parenthood Federation
of America (PPFA)
Planned Parenthood Golden Gate
(CA)
Planned Parenthood League of
Massachusetts
Planned Parenthood Mar Monte
(CA, NV)
Planned Parenthood Minnesota,
North Dakota, South Dakota
Planned Parenthood of
Alabama
Planned Parenthood of
Alaska
Planned Parenthood of Arkansas
and Eastern Oklahoma, Inc.
Planned Parenthood of Buffalo
and Erie County, Inc. (NY)
Planned Parenthood of Central
Pennsylvania
Planned Parenthood of
Connecticut
Planned Parenthood of
Delaware
Planned Parenthood of Greater
Iowa
Planned Parenthood of
Idaho
Planned Parenthood of
Indiana
Planned Parenthood of Inland
Northwest (WA)
Planned
Parenthood of Mahoning Valley (OH)
Planned Parenthood of New
Mexico, Inc.
Planned Parenthood of New York
City (NY)
Planned Parenthood of Niagara
County Inc. (NY)
Planned Parenthood of North
Central Ohio
Planned Parenthood of North
East Pennsylvania
Planned Parenthood of Northern
New England (VT, ME, NH)
Planned Parenthood of Rhode
Island
Planned Parenthood of the
Rochester/Syracuse Region (NY)
Planned Parenthood of Santa
Barbara, Ventura & San Luis Obispo
Counties, Inc.
(CA)
Planned Parenthood of South
Central Michigan
Planned Parenthood of South
Central New York, Inc
Planned Parenthood of Southwest
and Central Florida
Planned Parenthood of the
Southern Finger Lakes (NY)
Planned Parenthood of the St.
Louis Region (MO)
Planned Parenthood of the
Susquehanna Valley (PA)
Planned Parenthood of the Texas
Capital Region
Planned Parenthood of
Wisconsin
Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania
Advocates
Planned Parenthood Southwest
Ohio Region
Planned Parenthood/Chicago Area
(IL)
Population
Connection
Pro-Choice Public Education
Project (PEP)
PROMO
(MO)
Protestants for the Common Good
(Chicago, IL)
Religious Coalition for
Reproductive Choice
Religious Coalition for
Reproductive Choice of Connecticut, Inc.
Religious Coalition for
Reproductive Choice of Indiana
Religious Coalition for
Reproductive Choice of Maryland
Religious Coalition for
Reproductive Choice of Massachusetts
Religious Coalition for
Reproductive Choice of New Jersey
Religious Coalition for
Reproductive Choice of New Mexico
Religious Coalition for
Reproductive Choice of Northern California
Religious Coalition for
Reproductive Choice of Pennsylvania
Religious Coalition for
Reproductive Choice of West Virginia
Religious Institute on Sexual
Morality, Justice, and Healing
Reproductive Health
Technologies Project
Response Center (Skokie, IL)
Sexuality Information and
Education Council of the U.S. (SIECUS)
Sierra
Club
Sisterhood: Temple Anshe Sholom
(Olympia Fields, IL)
Society for Adolescent
Medicine
Society for Public Health
Education (SOPHE)
The Society for the Scientific
Study of Sexuality
South Alabama
CARES
Southwest Community Health
Center (Santa Rosa, CA)
TII CANN - Title II Community
AIDS National Network
The Teen Pregnancy Coalition of
San Mateo County (CA)
Temple B’nai Israel Sisterhood
(Oklahoma City, OK)
Temple Emanuel Sisterhood
(Kingston, NY)
Temple Shalom Sisterhood
(Dallas, TX)
Tri-State Alliance for Gays
& Lesbians (IL, IN, KY)
Union for Reform Judaism
Unitarian Universalist
Association of Congregations
United Church of Christ,
Justice and Witness Ministries
Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood
(NY)
Voices For Planned Parenthood,
University of Puget Sound (Tacoma,WA)
Western NC AIDS
Project
Women of Reform
Judaism
Women’s Coalition South Bay
(Redondo Beach, CA)
Women’s Health
Network
The Woodhull Freedom
Federation
Wyoming Health
Council
YWCA Metropolitan Chicago
(IL)
YWCA USA