Budget gets praise and criticism from NCJW

The National Council of Jewish Women has some praise and some criticism for President Obama’s 2010 budget.

The organization says it is "heartened by the defunding of abstinence-only programs" in the budget and also praises the inclusion of an initiative to prevent teen pregnancy that uses "evidence-based approaches" — although the group says it is too limited in scope.

"Abstinence-only programs have been proven, again and again, ineffective," said NCJW president Nancy Ratzan. "They fail to provide students with the critical information and education needed to prevent unintended pregnancies, reduce the transfer of sexually transmitted diseases, and make responsible life decisions."

The NCJW also said it was "greatly disappointed" that the president is keeping restrictions on abortions to remain in the 2010 federal budget. The restrictions, said the organization,"bar women serving in the armed forces, women enrolled in Medicaid, Peace Corps volunteers, Native American women, women in federal prisons, and federal employees from receiving abortion services funded by the federal government directly or even indirectly through private insurance."

"This refusal to cover the full range of reproductive health care options compromises the abortion rights of millions of women," said Ratzan. "It creates a two-tiered system of health care in which women who rely on the federal government for health care are denied access to abortion while other women are not." The organization did praise the budget’s removal of restrictions that bar the District of Columbia from spending its own locally raised tax money on abortions. The NCJW’s two press releases on these matters are after the jump: [[READMORE]]

NCJW Heartened by Defunding of Abstinence-Only Programs in President’s Budget

May 12, 2009, Washington, DC — The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) is heartened by the defunding of abstinence-only programs in the FY 2010 budget. A newly proposed teen pregnancy prevention program is promising and needs to be part of an expanded vision of comprehensive sex education and disease prevention to be effective. NCJW President Nancy Ratzan released the following statement:

“NCJW is pleased that federal money for abstinence-only programs has finally been eliminated. Abstinence-only programs have been proven, again and again, ineffective. They fail to provide students with the critical information and education needed to prevent unintended pregnancies, reduce the transfer of sexually transmitted diseases, and make responsible life decisions. 

“Further, abstinence-only programs often provide inaccurate information and promote one religious viewpoint about marriage, sex, and procreation to all students, regardless of their individual religious traditions. Additionally, abstinence-only programs, by failing to provide comprehensive sex education, ignore the needs of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered young people, sexually active young people, and young people who are or have been the victims of sexual violence.

“In their place, President Obama has proposed an initiative to prevent teen pregnancy. Its promise to use evidence-based approaches is a welcome and essential change; however, the program as described is too limited in scope. Pregnancy prevention must be part of comprehensive, age-appropriate, and medically accurate sex education for all young people. While teen pregnancy is a core concern, programs must also address sexually transmitted infections, the efficacy of contraceptive methods, the need for family communication, the development of negotiating skills around sex, and the adverse impact of alcohol and drug use on responsible decision making about sex, among other issues.

“We look forward to working with the President and Congress to expand the vision of this initiative to make sure our young people are empowered to make responsible life decisions.”

And number two:

NCJW Disappointed by Abortion Funding Restrictions in 2010 Federal Budget

May 12, 2009, Washington, DC — The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) today expressed its regret that the fiscal year 2010 federal budget contains almost all the restrictions on federal funding for abortions that have prevented access for millions of women in need of this service for several decades. NCJW President Nancy Ratzan issued the following statement:

"NCJW is greatly disappointed that President Obama chose to allow restrictions on abortions to remain in the federal budget for fiscal year 2010. The restrictions, which have been added over the years since Roe v. Wade, bar women serving in the armed forces, women enrolled in Medicaid, Peace Corps volunteers, Native American women, women in federal prisons, and federal employees from receiving abortion services funded by the federal government directly or even indirectly through private insurance.

"This refusal to cover the full range of reproductive health care options compromises the abortion rights of millions of women. It creates a two-tiered system of health care in which women who rely on the federal government for health care are denied access to abortion while other women are not. Especially at a time when many women are in dire financial straits, denying coverage for abortion means that these women, as a practical matter, cannot exercise their freedom of conscience to make abortion decisions in accordance with their own religious and moral beliefs, free from government intervention.

"The administration’s budget would, however, end restrictions on the District of Columbia that now bar the city from spending its own locally raised tax money for abortions, which is laudable. But at a time when more than three-fifths of all Americans support Roe v. Wade, the federal government must begin treating abortion services the same way it treats all other necessary medical care—by paying for it on an equitable basis."