Rise in Teen-Pregnancy Rate Another Blow to Bush-Backed Programs

Washington, D.C. – Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, called today's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report showing that the nation's teen-pregnancy rate increased for the first time in 15 years, a wake-up call for Americans.

Keenan, a former school teacher who served 12 years as the elected state superintendent of education in Montana, said the growing number of teen pregnancies is yet another indictment of the ineffective and dangerous "abstinence-only" programs backed by President Bush and his right-wing base.

Congress is currently considering a spending bill that includes funding for these programs, which do not provide students with information on contraception. The vast preponderance of evidence demonstrates that this dangerous approach does not help teens abstain or delay initiation of sex. As such, Congress should stop spending taxpayer dollars on "abstinence-only" programs altogether and direct funding to honest and traditional sex education, which studies show was primarily responsible for the decrease in teen-pregnancy rates over the last 15 years.

"As a former teacher and state superintendent of education, I am outraged," Keenan said. "I hope lawmakers see this report and understand why we need to stop funding Bush's so-called 'abstinence-only' programs. We should focus on ways to improve family communication and ensure our teens get medically accurate, age-appropriate sex education in the classroom. Looking at these numbers, it is unconscionable that Congress would consider giving even more taxpayer dollars to the risky and discredited programs that simply don't work and put young people's health and lives at risk."

Keenan said independent reports exposing the ineffectiveness of the "abstinence-only" approach have led governors in at least 13 states to reject federal funding for the programs.

Contact:
Ted Miller, 202.973.3032