Congressional Action Needed on Contraceptive Supplies

Washington, DC - May 22, 2006

In 2001, President Bush's spokesperson affirmed that the President "knows that one of the best ways to prevent abortion is by providing quality voluntary family planning services." Since then, however, Bush's press secretaries have refused to confirm the President's position on contraceptives, and new White House press secretary Tony Snow proved no different last week during Q & A with reporters. With the President remaining silent, PAI calls on Congress to demonstrate its support for reducing the high rate of unintended pregnancies in the developing world – which often lead to abortion – by supporting greater access to contraceptives and quality voluntary family planning programs.

Thanks to the strong leadership of Representatives Rob Simmons (R-CT) and Dennis Moore (D-KS), the Ensuring Access to Contraceptives Act of 2006 (H.R. 4736) – currently co-sponsored by 48 bipartisan House members – transcends political differences by offering a sound approach to reducing the number of unintended pregnancies and abortions among women in the developing world. Members of Congress with vastly different beliefs about abortion have agreed on the goals of this bill.

This bill will go a long way toward helping women in developing nations who desperately want to plan the size of their families but are unable to obtain basic contraceptives. Today more than 200 million women say they would prefer to avoid pregnancy – including more than one-third of married women in countries such as Ethiopia, Haiti and Pakistan – but are not using any form of modern contraception. Out of the 87 million unintended pregnancies that occur annually, more than half end in abortion.

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations' recent rejection of President Bush's steep proposed cuts to U.S. international family planning programs is a huge step in the right direction for the United States. Following this victory with passage of the Ensuring Access to Contraceptives Act of 2006 would truly demonstrate a strong U.S. commitment to the health and well-being of millions of women and their families around the globe.

We can't wait any longer for the President's answer. It's time for Congress to lead the way.

Population Action International (PAI) works to improve individual well-being and preserve global resources by mobilizing political and financial support for population, family planning and reproductive health policies and programs.