[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 161 (Friday, October 3, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2221]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            ACTION ON SEX ED

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JANE HARMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 3, 2008

  Ms. HARMAN. Madam Speaker, I've seen my home state of California 
struggle with the Nation's highest teen pregnancy rate--the sad result 
being thousands of young women dealing with the catastrophic effects 
pregnancy can impose on their lives. They often lose out on the 
opportunity to obtain a high school diploma, a college degree or a 
promising career. For too many, dreams like these are lost at an early 
age.
  In the early 1990s, California took on the challenge to fight this 
epidemic and focused hard on prevention. After a decade of implementing 
robust initiatives, the state had lowered the rate by nearly 40 
percent. Much of the success is credited to better and more accurate 
comprehensive sex education.
  Results like this are worth fighting for and this is why initiatives 
like Planned Parenthood's campaign--Sex Ed Week of Action--is vital to 
raise awareness about safe practices within our communities. These are 
tough, personal issues for all parents and families but as a mother and 
grandmother, I agree that they must be addressed.
  California is making strides, but there is much more to be done 
nationwide. As a long-time champion of comprehensive sex education, 
I've voiced my opposition against unproven abstinence-only education 
here in Congress. It is an outrage that since 1996, the Federal 
Government has pursued an ideological and myopic path, investing more 
than a $1 billion in abstinence-only programs. This has been a huge 
waste--and the studies prove it.
  A report commissioned by the Department of Health and Human Services 
concludes that students receiving abstinence-only education are no more 
likely to abstain or delay sexual activity than students not receiving 
such instruction.
  California also recognized that this is a bad investment for our 
teens and took a commendable step forward by rejecting these funds from 
the Federal Government. The medical community agrees too. According to 
the American Medical Association, the American Public Health 
Association and the American School Health Association, scientifically 
sound comprehensive sex education is the only approach that produces 
results--not more unwanted pregnancies.
  Empowering teens to make smart choices requires education that is 
proven to work--logical, right? The evidence is clear, comprehensive 
sex education is the best path to reducing unintended pregnancy, which 
is the goal we all share. We can't fail our teens by letting politics 
and ideology interfere with this basic right to information.

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