The Bush Administration and a conservative faction in Congress are attempting to pour more resources into unproven and harmful abstinence-only-until-marriage education for young people. These programs censor information about contraception and its benefits in preventing unwanted pregnancy and sexually-transmissible infections, including HIV/AIDS.
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Providing adolescents with access to contraceptives can significantly reduce the risk of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. Since its inception in 1970, Title X funding has provided family planning services to adolescents. In 1978, Congress amended Title X to place "a special emphasis on preventing unwanted pregnancies among sexually active adolescents," adding services specifically for teenagers. Unfortunately the Bush Administration and conservative Republicans are currently pushing an abstinence-only agenda and threatening to regulate minors' rights to access contraception through the Title X program. A study out of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee found that nearly 60% of sexually active girls under the age of 18 would stop seeking reproductive health services if their parents knew they were trying to get contraceptives.

For more information, see:

Factsheet: Title X Family Planning: A Commitment to Reproductive Health

Factsheet: Forced Parental Involvement Defeats the Goals of Title X Family Planning

Factsheet: Parental Consent and Notice for Contraceptives Threatens Teen Health and Constitutional Rights