Senate Finance Committee Approves Amendment Providing Millions for Abstinence Education

[babylonsister]

http://washingtonindependent.com/61415/senate-finance-committee-approves-amendment-providing-millions-for-abstinence-education

Senate Finance Committee Approves Amendment Providing Millions for Abstinence Education
By Mike Lillis 9/30/09 8:46 AM


The Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday night approved an amendment providing tens of millions of dollars to fund abstinence education programs for teens.

The proposal, offered by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), would provide $50 million per year through 2014 exclusively for abstinence education programs. The measure would effectively reinstate the controversial Title V program, which offered $50 million per year to states for abstinence education, but prohibited them from tapping the funds for other sex-ed subjects like contraception. The same prohibition would accompany the Hatch amendment. “Abstinence education works,” the Utah Republican said.

The vote was 12 to 11, with Democratic Sens. Blanche Lincoln (Ark.) and Kent Conrad (N.D.) voting with every Republican to secure passage of the measure.

The proposal’s success caught Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) off guard. The Finance Chairman had offered an alternative to Hatch’s proposal, which would provide funding to a broader swath of teen wellness programs, including those addressing contraception, HIV/AIDS, healthy relationships and financial literacy.

Abstinence education programs could be included in Baucus’s alternative, Finance Committee staff said, if it’s deemed a “medically accurate and complete” strategy promoting teen health. Baucus, though, doesn’t think that’s the case. “Abstinence education programs, I think, have been ineffective,” he said.

The Baucus measure passed 14 to 9, providing a rare instance of a Republican amendment and the chairman’s alternative passing the committee back to back. Baucus blamed the late hour for that anomaly. “We’re getting to 10 o’clock,” he said. “ things start to happen after 10 o’clock.”

[Rabrrrrrr]

1. Typical Republicans - fund abstinence-only, and defund health care.

And defund welfare, defund head start, defund childcare - defund anything that might actually help a woman.


Fucking evil is what it is.

[ck4829]

2. They're in the minority and they're still getting the things they want

And the thing they want is a waste of time and money.

Unbelievable.

[Rabrrrrrr]

4. It pisses me off - what was the point of electing a dem majority in everything?

Fucking hell.

[ccharles000]

3. ...

More wasted money that could go to something useful.

[TheCowsCameHome]

5. More proof that republicans don't give a fuck.

[madrchsod]

6. ask miss palin if it works

50 million for a program that has failed to "prevent the problem"

[Inuca]

7. I saw that

added the last drop fo WTF to the day's proceedings. By the way, WTF is wrong with Conrad?!??! I was mad but not surprised by his votes on the PO amendments, but this came completely out of nowhere.

[Solly Mack]

8. Yaaaay! for Teen pregnancy! Yaaay! for STDs!

[flyarm]

9. MORE OF THAT "HOPE WE CAN BELIEVE IN"..and for those in the new tent cities..

with no jobs..no health care for your family...well the dems say.....wait for that grand chess game!!

[lamp_shade]

10. I watched that whole debate and I honestly believe Hatch was only interested

in "making a statement" and grandstanding. I really don't believe he thought it would fly. Baucus's mark-up already had $$ designated for this, so I have to believe Baucus accepted it just to shut Hatch up, and he did it so fast that Hatch's head was spinning with disbelief. It was a great move.

[robinlynne]

12. a great move?

[robinlynne]

11. no fucking way.

[4_TN_TITANS]

13. So Hatch can count on Lincoln and Conrad's vote

for millions in inneffective programs, but the Dems can't count on them for a public option?

Lincoln and Conrad need to switch parties already.