URGENT ACTION ALERT: Ask Senators to vote Yes on Hatch Amendment to fund abstinence education

Senator Hatch (R-UT) has introduced an amendment into the Senate health care reform bill to reinstate Title V Abstinence Education funding for FY2010. This amendment will be offered this week in the Senate Finance Committee. (The vote could be as early as Tuesday of this week)

Background

Title V state block grants for abstinence education expired June 30, 2009. Since then, 2 actions in the House have been taken related to this funding:

1. Rep. Lee Terry introduced an amendment in the House to reinstate Title V Abstinence Education Funding. It failed by only 3 votes in anti-abstinence Waxman's Energy & Commerce Committee earlier this year.

2. An amendment was successfully inserted in the House health care reform bill to transfer former Title V funds to "comprehensive" sex education block grants to states.


Recent research analysis demonstrates that school based abstinence education is more successful in positive behavior change than so-called "comprehensive" sex education.


Action Item
•Call your Senators immediately. Ask them to vote "yes" on the Hatch Amendment if they serve on the Finance Committee. Ask them to urge their colleagues to do the same.


• Make a personal call to your friends and colleagues asking them to immediately call their Senators as well if they serve on the Senate Finance Committee

The United States Capitol switchboard number is (202) 224-3121. A switchboard operator will connect you directly to your Senators' Offices.

Continue to encourage unique calls to your Senators until the Senate vote is taken.

What to Say To Your Congressional Member

I am calling to urge Senator [name] to stand with youth in our state by voting "yes" on Senator Hatch's amendment to continue Title V abstinence education funding to states. This amendment will be offered as a part of the Senate health care reform bill. Abstinence alleviates millions of dollars in health care costs related to teen sexual activity. Can we count on Senator [name] support of the Hatch Abstinence Education amendment? Thank you.

Members of the Senate Finance Committee

Democrats
MAX BAUCUS, MT
JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER IV, WV
KENT CONRAD, ND
JEFF BINGAMAN, NM
JOHN F. KERRY, MA
BLANCHE L. LINCOLN, AR
RON WYDEN, OR
CHARLES E. SCHUMER, NY
DEBBIE STABENOW, MI
MARIA CANTWELL, WA
BILL NELSON, FL
ROBERT MENENDEZ, NJ

THOMAS CARPER, DE


Republicans
CHUCK GRASSLEY, IA
ORRIN G. HATCH, UT
OLYMPIA J. SNOWE, ME
JON KYL, AZ
JIM BUNNING, KY
MIKE CRAPO, ID
PAT ROBERTS, KS
JOHN ENSIGN, NV
MIKE ENZI, WY
JOHN CORNYN, TX

~ Via Pam Stenzel.