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National News Abstinence Education Gains Record FundingMarch 25, 2003 A note from TheBody.com: Since this article was written, the HIV pandemic has changed, as has our understanding of HIV/AIDS and its treatment. As a result, parts of this article may be outdated. Please keep this in mind, and be sure to visit other parts of our site for more recent information! A record $120 million in federal money will be invested in abstinence education this year, including $117 million to ongoing programs and $3.5 million in one-time earmarks to specific programs. Abstinence education proponents welcomed the funding. "This is as high as it's ever been," said Heritage Foundation analyst Robert Rector. Rector said the ultimate goal would be to place abstinence funding on par with current funding for contraception education, or at least $135 million. President Bush tried to achieve this by budgeting $73 million for one abstinence grant program; Congress funded it at only $55 million. Project Reality, in Golf, Ill., and the Best Friends Foundation in the District of Columbia, both veteran abstinence-based programs, received earmarks $100,000 and $250,000, respectively. The remaining $3.2 million of earmarked funds will go to 31 programs in Pennsylvania. Sen. Arlen Specter, who pushed for the earmarks with fellow Pennsylvania Republican Sen. Rick Santorum, said, "Abstinence education is very valuable in promoting a viable alternative to sexual activity," thus reducing STDs, unplanned pregnancies and single parenthood. Even some supporters of abstinence programs have caveats for the funding, especially where faith-based programs are concerned. Leslee Unruh, founder of the Abstinence Clearinghouse in Sioux Falls, S.D., wants to see money only going to programs that focus at least 75 percent on abstinence. Unruh also wants faith-based programs to understand the impact of accepting government money. "With the federal dollars comes a huge responsibility to walk that line," she said. "I'm all for passing out Bibles, but you can't do that with federal money." Washington Times 03.24.03; Cheryl Wetzstein A note from TheBody.com: Since this article was written, the HIV pandemic has changed, as has our understanding of HIV/AIDS and its treatment. As a result, parts of this article may be outdated. Please keep this in mind, and be sure to visit other parts of our site for more recent information!  This article was provided by U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is a part of the publication CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update. Visit the CDC's website to find out more about their activities, publications and services.
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