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May 5, 2004
HARMAN URGES TEENS TO PARTICIPATE IN NATIONAL DAY
TO PREVENT TEEN PREGNANCY
-- Urges Congress to Pass Key Legislation This Year --
Washington, DC - Representative Jane Harman (CA-36) urged teenagers
in her Congressional district to participate in today's third annual National
Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. She also called on Congress to pass legislation
to reduce teen pregnancy.
"The National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy is a great tool to get
teens focused on the need to avoid unplanned pregnancy," said Harman.
Harman also urged Congress to take up the Putting Prevention First Act
(H.R. 4192), which she introduced with a bipartisan group of lawmakers
in April. The bill expands access to preventive health care services and
education programs that help reduce unplanned pregnancy, infection from
sexually transmitted disease, and the need for abortion. Harman authored
a provision in the bill to provide funding to teen pregnancy prevention
programs.
"It's time to let rigorous research and best practice models determine
how we allocate our public health and education dollars, not ideology.
Put simply, H.R. 4192 would fund what works when it comes to preventing
teen pregnancy," said Harman. "As a mother of four, I know that
if we're serious about preventing teen pregnancy we must make sure that
kids receive comprehensive sex education in order to make responsible
choices."
While research has questioned the effectiveness of abstinence-only education,
the Administration continues to fund such programs and has pledged to
double funding for abstinence-only education. A recent study found that
sexual activity actually doubled among junior high school students in
Minnesota taking part in an abstinence-only program.
More information about the National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy can
be found online at http://www.teenpregnancy.org.
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