tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6857629.post-26465046423534088712008-05-04T06:09:00.001-04:002008-05-07T12:06:14.634-04:00The <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform</span> recently held a hearing titled, "<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Domestic Abstinence-Only Programs: Assessing the Evidence</span>." While the hearing was stacked <span style="font-weight: bold;">against</span> abstinence education funding, two experts testified as to the effectiveness of such programs. Federal funding for these programs is in jeopardy. Chairman <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">Henry Waxman</span> (<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dem</span>-California) advocates for comprehensive sex education, which has <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 51, 0);">no evidence of reducing teen sexual activity</span>.<br /><blockquote><span style="font-size:130%;">A press conference was held yesterday at the <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">National Press Club</span> to release evidence from <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">recent studies that prove over 50 percent of teens will refrain from sexual initiation if taught abstinence</span>. <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">And teens are <span style="font-style: italic;">requesting</span> the programs.</span></span></blockquote><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"></span></span><a href="http://www.cwfa.org/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Concerned Women for America</span></a> (CWA) is providing, to congressmen, letters from students who want abstinence to be taught. In a letter written to <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">Rep. Darrell Issa</span> (R-California), Jordan wrote,<br /><blockquote></blockquote><span style="font-size:100%;"><blockquote>"<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Most teens who stay abstinent will be <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255); font-weight: bold;">more emotionally stable</span>, will <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255); font-weight: bold;">not contract STDs</span>, and will <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255); font-weight: bold;">not get pregnant</span>. This would not only benefit many individuals, but <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255); font-weight: bold;">society as a whole</span>. This is because the upcoming generation would be happier and healthier</span>.</span>"</blockquote></span>Lauren believes that even though there are "<span style="font-style: italic;">teens and other individuals who want to do whatever they see fit, most teens want to receive a strong message about abstinence. <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">They want to know that they can say 'no' and that they don't have to give in to peer pressure.</span> By informing students and teenagers of abstinence, you are allowing them to choose a better future and avoid all the emotional and physical heartache and risks of having casual sex</span>."<br /><br />CWA, along with teens across the nation, encourages members of Congress to continue to fund programs that not only provide proven results, but keep our children safe. Concerned Women for America is the nation's largest public policy women's organization. <p align="justify"><span class="arial12" style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" ></span></p>Charliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00895306612218195608noreply@blogger.com