April 20, 2004
49 states have accepted the funding, in many cases because of misinformation about what the abstinence-only-until-marriage programs require. Only California, in defense of comprehensive sex education, has rejected the funding. The state has lost over $40 million since 1998 due to the law.
“Prevention starts with education,” Lee said. “We must deal with the reality that close to 90 percent of Americans have intercourse before marriage and that about 50 percent of teens are sexually active by the time they leave high school. And we must also remember that an average of two young people in the United States are infected with HIV every hour of the day. If we are truly committed to reducing unwanted teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection rates, we must teach our teens about using contraceptives once they make the choice to become sexually active. This bill would do that.”
Even though introduced just today, FLEA has already received over 70 co-sponsors. In another show of support for FLEA, the bi-partisan Pro-Choice Caucus, of which Lee is a member, today incorporated the bill’s provisions into the Putting Prevention First Act, a comprehensive prevention package that will help prevent unintended pregnancies and STDs and will significantly reduce the number of abortions.
“I’m very pleased that the bi-partisan Pro-Choice Caucus would incorporate my bill into the Putting Prevention First Act. Clearly, this bill has broad support, and we should push all Members to get on board.”
###
Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Along With Over 70 Co-Sponsors, Introduces H.R. 4182, Family Life Education Act
Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) introduced the Family Life Education Act (FLEA), which would reform an abstinence-until-marriage provision in the 1996 Welfare Reform Act to allow states to receive funding for both abstinence and comprehensive sexuality education, including contraception and HIV/AIDS education.49 states have accepted the funding, in many cases because of misinformation about what the abstinence-only-until-marriage programs require. Only California, in defense of comprehensive sex education, has rejected the funding. The state has lost over $40 million since 1998 due to the law.
“Prevention starts with education,” Lee said. “We must deal with the reality that close to 90 percent of Americans have intercourse before marriage and that about 50 percent of teens are sexually active by the time they leave high school. And we must also remember that an average of two young people in the United States are infected with HIV every hour of the day. If we are truly committed to reducing unwanted teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection rates, we must teach our teens about using contraceptives once they make the choice to become sexually active. This bill would do that.”
Even though introduced just today, FLEA has already received over 70 co-sponsors. In another show of support for FLEA, the bi-partisan Pro-Choice Caucus, of which Lee is a member, today incorporated the bill’s provisions into the Putting Prevention First Act, a comprehensive prevention package that will help prevent unintended pregnancies and STDs and will significantly reduce the number of abortions.
“I’m very pleased that the bi-partisan Pro-Choice Caucus would incorporate my bill into the Putting Prevention First Act. Clearly, this bill has broad support, and we should push all Members to get on board.”
###