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Mr. Speaker, today, with my colleague Nancy Pelosi, I am pleased to introduce legislation today to strengthen our nation's commitment to preventing teen pregnancy. The United States has the highest rates of teen pregnancy and births in the western industrialized world. Nearly four in 10 young women become pregnant at least once before they reach the age of 20--one million a year. This is a problem that has a devastating impact on California as a whole (which has the second worst teen pregnancy rate in the nation) and Hispanic teenagers in particular, who have the highest rates of teen pregnancy of any ethnic group. The cost to the United States in health care and education alone is at least $7 billion annually, and the human cost in dreams deferred and children with limited opportunities is immeasurable. Reducing unwanted pregnancies also reduces the number of abortions. We must act now to build on the success of existing programs that have helped reduce teen pregnancy rates nationwide so that we may ensure young women and men have the information and confidence they need to make wise choices about their sexual behavior. The approach of our legislation is very straightforward: fund programs that work. Over the past decade, a wide variety of teen pregnancy prevention programs have shown dramatic results in delaying teenagers' sexual activity, promoting the safe use of contraceptives, and reducing teen pregnancy. These programs don't fit a particular model: some provide comprehensive sex and HIV education, some provide information on and access to contraception, some provide economic or service opportunities to youth. Some use media campaigns, some intervention and counseling, and some youth development programs. Successful education programs do, however, all share a common feature: they deliver the message that abstaining from sexual activity is the only 100 percent effective way to prevent teen pregnancy, but recognizing that teens will not always abstain from sex, also provide accurate information on contraception and other means to prevent pregnancy. The grant program authorized by the bill we introduce today targets new funding at high-risk communities and groups, and allows a wide range of organizations--from local coalitions to State agencies--to apply for funds. This bill represents an effective and proven way to move forward on teen pregnancy prevention. The program will fund diverse teen pregnancy prevention programs, so long as they are based on methods and programs that work. This legislation is a win-win deal for teens, their families, and their
communities across the nation, and I urge all of my colleague to support
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