Senate Republicans Ensure Teen Pregnancy..Again

The Senate defeated an amendment proposed by our own senator, Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), that would have authorized the secretary of health and human services to make grants to sex education programs that stress both abstinence and contraception. The vote was 48-51.

Here are the main provisions of the amendment:

(A) The applicant agrees that information provided by the program on pregnancy prevention will be age-appropriate, factually and medically accurate and complete, and scientifically-based.

(B) The applicant agrees the program will--

(i) not teach or promote religion;

(ii) teach that abstinence is the only sure way to avoid pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases;

(iii) stress the value of abstinence while not ignoring those teens who have had or are having sexual intercourse, or teens at risk of becoming sexually active;

(iv) provide information about the health benefits and side effects of all contraceptives and barrier methods as a means to prevent pregnancy;

(v) provide information about the health benefits and side effects of all contraceptives and barrier methods as a means to reduce the risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS;

As usual, the only three moderate Republicans in the Senate, Olympia Snowe (ME), Susan Collins (ME), and Lincoln Chafee (RI) voted in favor, and the irritatingly right winged Democrat, Ben Nelson (NE) voted against.