ACLU Disappointed in Congressional Failure to Protect Teen Health

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: media@dcaclu.org

Washington, DC – The American Civil Liberties Union today expressed frustration in Congress for its passage of a $28 million increase in the Community-Based Abstinence Education (CBAE) program. This increase is the second largest in the history of the program, despite recent studies revealing that such abstinence-only-until-marriage programs censor vital health care information, promote outdated and untrue gender stereotypes, discriminate against LGBT teens, and in some cases, promote religion in violation of the Constitution.

The following can be attributed to Caroline Fredrickson, director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office:

“We are deeply disappointed that the Democratic leadership would support an increase in funding for abstinence-only-until-marriage programs, which studies have shown are ineffective at best. Congress should eliminate funding for this program and put valuable taxpayer dollars toward programs that work and reproductive health policies that protect the public health by providing young people with all the information they need to make smart decisions about their health and well-being.”