Obama Eliminates Abstinence-Only Funding In Budget

President Obama's 2010 budget, released this afternoon, eliminates federal funding for a range of abstinence-only education programs.

Here's a release from the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy:

President Obama released his FY 2010 budget today and called for at least $164 million in funding for a new teen pregnancy prevention initiative. This includes competitive grants for evidence-based programs, research and evaluation, and an authorization for $50 million in new mandatory teen pregnancy prevention grants to states, tribes, and territories. The budget eliminates funding for Community-Based Abstinence Education and the mandatory Title V Abstinence Education program.

"Regarding teen pregnancy, President Obama's budget is just right," said Sarah Brown, CEO of the National Campaign, in a statement. "It emphasizes good science, encourages research and innovation, and increases the overall investment in teen pregnancy prevention."

Brown also writes:

We also appreciate that 25% of what the President proposes in his budget is devoted to carefully testing innovative approaches to preventing teen pregnancy. If we are to make continued progress in preventing teen pregnancy and childbearing, it is clear that we will need fresh new approaches that, for example, help underserved populations and that employ new technology to reach young people. This will continue to expand the roster of effective approaches that states, tribes, and communities can use to prevent too-early pregnancy and parenthood."

Here's a bit more on the abstinence cuts from Reps. Diana DeGette (D-Col.) and Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.):

"Eliminating funding for ineffective abstinence-only programs is a win for science," said DeGette. "The Obama budget proposal invests in programs that are effective and based on sound science, rather than wasting millions of dollars on efforts that have been proven to be ineffective at best. This budget underscores the President's commitment to science, and I look forward to working with the White House and House leadership to ensure that Congress supports his efforts."

"For too long we wasted money on programs that are proven to be ineffective. We are finally putting sound science ahead of politics," said Slaughter. "We have an obligation to our young women and men to empower them to make informed decisions about their own sexual health."

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Comments

[Haitiana4Obama]

I think the President is taking a realistic approach and that he isn't allowing his ideals to rule the decision making process.

[afgail]

Those who believe in abstinece only are still free to preach it. It's just that the philosphy will not be promoted by the federal government anymore. Nothing here for the religous right to get their shorts in a twist about.

[Jeremy Mendenhall]

Thats the problem just because their going to do it anyway doesn't make it right. Just because everyone is cheating on their taxes, or getting government funded programs under false pretenses doesn't make it right. Stop justifying everything to the point where you no longer see that line you crossed so long ago.

[Jeremy Mendenhall]

Abstinance is a great idea but in the real world where sex is promoted on the radio tv and movies and teens can't get away from it teaching abstenance will never work. Just a little unsure as to degree science has in preventing teen pregnancies other than abortion. we simply need to educate the consequences of sex and promote a sense of self worth. teenage girls have sex more often than not to fit in or to become more popular or simply because they don't believe people when they say that teenage boys only want one thing. it's true that's all I wanted at that age and even told numerous girls I loved them just to get them to cooperate. I was wrong and got lucky not get a disease or some girl pregnant. Point being Education, not scare tactics but simply informing of the possible negatives that are out there are a better solution than anything, science in my head that is promoting abortion as just another means of birth control.

[fictioneer]

That was a money grab for the fundamentalists. Pure and simple. Thank God it's going away.

[NewArtz]

Abstaining from sex between heterosexual couples works well as birth control, if practiced. Heterosexual sex, when practiced, works well at producing children. Homosexual sex, if practiced exclusively, works well as birth control. There are birth control methods which, when followed, work well at controlling conception. If someone is having heterosexual sex, then birth control other than abstinence is necessary to counteract the natural tendency for the sperm to fertilize the egg.

The moral question is one which each individual must answer for themselves based upon their personal values and their readiness to be responsible for their choice. Love finds a way, thus it's always irresponsible for anyone to consider the birth of a human being as a mistake. A conception, however, could be viewed that way, and giving the right to a women over their own bodies is integral in allowing responsible actions from the one who has the greatest investment in the choice.

Those who want to take away this choice are neither responsible nor, necessarily, motivated by the highest standard of their conscience. Certainly, they are stubbornly ignorant about the realities of life. If they want to prove that God is nothing more than a bipolar reflection of irrational humanity in need of anger management, then their witness substantiates our worst fears.

[sandy77477]

Yippee!!!

Now these programs arer good for young teenage girsl and helps to reenforce decisions that these girls and boys have already made...But speaking as someone who was forced to teach these programs in schools and clinics ...I doubt if this education helped to prevent pregnancy or reduced the incidence early onset of sexual activity.

Now maybe these counselors will be free to use a whole range of tools to prevent preganancy ...including real life dicussions about sex and concesquences of thier behaviors.

[tom90069]

thank god, now maybe we can have a serious, honest and frank discussion about sex with at risk kids. bout damn time. now when can we stop funding churches?

[donttasemebro]

Fact of life: Teenagers have sex. No amount of adults' and public officials' insisting that they shouldn't is going to change that fact. This has been the case since humans crawled out of the trees.
The only way to prevent unwanted teenage pregnancies and subsequent adortions, is BIRTH CONTROL!
Thank you.

[donttasemebro]

abortions, duh.

[ResearchGirl]

Yee haaa!

So Derek the Abstinence Clown is going to be unemployed, until or unless the nuthouse churches hire him (not including the chattel-farmers of Texas and elsewhere, where teen pregnancy is part of God's Plan for Women).

Outbreak of sanity in Washington, *again*? Not sure I can take this much fresh air.

[bobtr900]

This, ending of spending huge amounts of taxpayer dollars the ineffecitive abstinence only agenda, will drive the pope(my religion) crazy. And even a few of the evangelical fundies -not all evangelicals, please- will also go crazy. But their man, George 'jesus christ' Bush is out of office and their agenda of death is over.

Now we have four years to end or repair some of the damage done by the right wing Repuke Culture of Death for Big Religion and for Big Business power and profits. The Rethug party, the Cons(conservatives) the Neocons and the Theocons have done nation wide and world wide damage to the Family of Man. We better be thinking about and getting ready for them in the next election and especially in the 2012 general election.

In the 2010 election we godless libs better be darn sure we take as many issues and seats away from the Rethuglikkkans as possible. Iow, even the midterm elections now require a maximum effort, every election and every vote counts.

If anyone doubts that, they just have to look at Al Frankens election, which they are fighting against with every trick at their disposal. If Scalia and company get their hands on that election we can just bet that Franken will be, somehow, mysteriously, disqualified or will lose his seat in the senate. The Rethug ability to steal elections is or was unknown, and still seems unbelievable.

Go Al, go!

[dollbaby]

It is time for the Pope to get a grip!!!!! I too am Catholic and teaching/ preaching abstinence only is unwise and ridiculous. I have thought my children to value love making as precious and part of a commited relationship. So I preach waiting but I teach safe sex and protection. If they choose not to wait they are less likely to have an unwanted pregnancy, get an STD, etc. I stress the emotional aspects of a ssexual relationship and aas a teen your though processes and emotional development may not be equipped to handle what you physical development and needs stir up.

[irisda]

the grown ups have arrived in Washington!

[feliznavidad]

Rationality and courage. What a great way to trim the federal budget!

[endbush]

Gobama!!

[jan4insight]

Ahhh, one more step for sanity in our public discourse. Loving it!