Washington, DC - Representative Wm. Lacy Clay will serve on the Honorary Committee for the 10th Anniversary celebration of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. Rep. Clay joins more than 100 Members of Congress serving on the Committee. His dedication to improving the well-being of children, youth and families by preventing teen pregnancy has been applauded by the National Champaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy.

On Wednesday, September 14, 2005, the National Campaign will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a special dinner event in Washington, D.C. The evening will recognize the nation’s nearly one-third reduction in teen pregnancy and birth rates, celebrate the National Campaign’s success and outline clearly how much work remains to be done.

One in three teen girls still get pregnant at least once before age 20. The Honorable Tom Kean, Chairman of the National Campaign’s Board and Chair of the 9/11 Commission, is serving as the 10th Anniversary Chair. Representative Nancy Johnson, Senator Hillary Clinton and Vivian Berryhill (the founder of the National Coalition of Pastor’s Spouses) will be honored at the dinner for their leadership in preventing teen pregnancy; award-winning actress Alexis Bledell will also be recognized for her role on the hit WB show Gilmore Girls. Several other national leaders and teens will also be celebrated.

Organized in 1996, the private, non-profit, National Campaign believes that reducing the nation’s rate of teen pregnancy is one of the most strategic and direct means available to improve overall child well-being and to reduce persistent child poverty. Also, in 1996, the National Campaign challenged the nation to reduce the teen pregnancy rate by one-third over the next decade. Ten years later, it is almost certain that the nation will meet this goal – an amazing accomplishment.

“I salute this important progress, and commend the National Campaign for its contribution to this success story by going about its work in a sensible, bipartisan and research-based way,” Rep. Clay said.

“We greatly appreciate Representative Clay’s commitment to making progress on reducing teen pregnancy by joining the National Campaign’s 10th Anniversary Celebration Honorary Committee,” said Sarah Brown, Director of the National Campaign.