NARAL Pro-Choice America Praises Introduction of Lautenberg-Lee-Shays REAL Act

Washington, DC – Nancy Keenan, a former teacher and state education official who serves as president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, today praised Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Rep. Chris Shays (R-CT) for leading the effort to establish the first-ever federal program for honest, realistic sex education.

The Responsible Education About Life (REAL) Act would fund comprehensive sex-education for young people in public schools around the country.

"This bill reflects the American value that our teens should get honest, realistic information in the classroom," Keenan said.  "As someone who spent 25 years as a teacher and education official, I know young people need honest, medically accurate information.  The Bush-backed 'abstinence-only' approach intentionally misleads our teens and censors teachers from giving students the truth about contraception and other ways to prevent sexually transmitted diseases."

This year, as in years past, President Bush ignored the public's call for a focus on commonsense solutions to prevent unintended pregnancies.  He asked taxpayers to dump an additional $28 million, on top of the current $176 million, into dangerous and unproven "abstinence-only" programs that censor important public health information on topics like birth control and STD prevention. 

Currently, states can only receive federal funding if they agree to teach "abstinence-only" programs in their schools.  That means teachers must exclude information about the health benefits of contraception.  This program is so rigid and controversial that, under the REAL Act, states could apply for federal funding to continue teaching honest and age appropriate sex-education classes in their schools.

Keenan will continue to work with lawmakers to advance this legislative measure as a part of NARAL Pro-Choice America's Prevention First initiative.

Background on Prevention First

NARAL Pro-Choice America has for years advocated for prevention-related policies, as well as safe, legal abortion.  In February 2005, NARAL Pro-Choice America issued a challenge to President Bush and his allies who oppose legal abortion to support efforts to prevent unintended pregnancies through medically accurate sex education, birth control, including emergency contraception, and improved family-planning services. 

While President Bush refuses to support this common-ground Prevention First agenda, federal and state lawmakers have introduced, promoted, and enacted legislation related to preventive measures such as comprehensive sex education, better access to emergency contraception, equitable insurance coverage for contraception, guaranteed access to prescriptions, and better family-planning services for everyone who needs them. Last year, state lawmakers considered 187 prevention-related measures. 

Contact:
Ted Miller, 202.973.3032