Confidential contraceptive services are under constant political attack.  In 1996, 1997 and 1998, House opponents of family planning took the opportunity during consideration of the Labor, HHS, and Education spending bill to impose a parental-consent mandate on contraceptive services for young people.  Twice, the House rejected these efforts, but in 1998 the House narrowly approved the proposal. Fortunately, this did not become law.  
 
In the 109th Congress, family planning opponent Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO) introduced H.R. 3011, legislation to require parental consent and notification for teens seeking contraceptives at Title X funded clinics.  Although superficially appealing, such a mandate is misguided: rather than facilitating healthy family communication, these proposals actually discourage young people from seeking medical care – exactly the opposite effect of what’s most needed.
 

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