Jerry Nadler: “I rise to oppose the Istook amendment calling for a $33 million increase in abstinence-only education. First, everyone…”

“I rise to oppose the Istook amendment calling for a $33 million increase in abstinence-only education. First, everyone should understand one thing--this program is already receiving a 100 percent increase in its funding over last year. That is without the Istook amendment. To put that in perspective--the President's number one priority during his campaign (besides tax cuts) was education--and that receives a 17 percent increase. So, make no mistake about it, the Congress is already spending large sums on the abstinence-only program, and we won't know the effectiveness and results of the program until the congressionally mandated report comes due in 2005. What we do know is that publicly funded family planning has a significant effect on teen pregnancy. Each year, family planning services prevent an estimated 386,000 teenagers from becoming pregnant. Title X funding plays a critical role in the lives of teens across America--in preventing unwanted pregnancy and in providing needed services to young people. Through title X teens receive gynecological exams, screening for breast and cervical cancer, STD treatment, HIV testing, contraceptive care, and counseling. These services are desperately needed since we know that more than 750,000 teenagers become pregnant each year, and 80 percent of those pregnancies are unintended.”