Call to End Ab-Only Sex Ed 

Two weeks ago, the Senate Finance Committee passed an amendment from Senator Orrin Hatch to reinstate $50 million per year to the failed Title V abstinence-only-until-marriage program. The amendment passed by just one vote, 12–11. Today, sex ed supporters from around the country are uniting to call in to the Senate and say no to ab-only, once and for all.

We need to ensure Congress does not fund ineffective abstinence-only-until-marriage programs that leave young people at risk. Make the call right now:

• Dial 1-888-423-5983
• Tell the Capitol Switchboard what state you’re calling from and ask to speak to one of your two Senators.  Please make two phone calls—one to each of your Senators’ offices.
• Tell your Senator that we need to ensure Congress only funds a comprehensive approach to sex education and does not fund ineffective abstinence-only-until-marriage programs that leave young people at risk. Urge your Senator to work to strip the Hatch abstinence-only amendment from the final Healthcare Reform bill.
• Fill out the email form below so we can make sure your call is counted.

Need more guidance? Here's a step-by-step outline from our friends at SIECUS:

How to reach your Senators

Dial 1-888-423-5983

You will be connected to the Capitol Switchboard. Once you’re connected, tell them what state you’re calling from and ask to speak to one of your two Senators. (You will need to call back to speak to the other Senator’s office.) Please make two phone calls—one to each of your Senators’ offices.

Call-In Day Script

Hi. My name is ________________. May I please speak with the Senator’s lead aide on health? I am calling to talk about stripping the Hatch abstinence-only amendment from the Healthcare Reform bill.

(After they transfer you to the right person in the office or to their voicemail)

Hi. My name is ___________ and I am calling from ___________. The Senate Finance Committee recently passed the Hatch abstinence-only amendment to Healthcare Reform– reinstating $50 million in funding for failed abstinence-only-until-marriage programs. We need to ensure Congress only funds a comprehensive approach to sex education and does not fund ineffective abstinence-only-until-marriage programs that leave young people at risk. As a constituent of Senator _________, I urge the Senator to work to strip the Hatch abstinence-only amendment from the final Healthcare Reform bill.

Other Talking Points to Use:

• Healthcare Reform is a critically important task for this Congress and it should not be hijacked by ideologically motivated earmarks.
• The Title V abstinence-only-until-marriage program expired on June 30th and, at that time, had been refused by nearly half of the states both because of the restrictive nature of the program and the fact that overwhelming evidence has proven these programs to be ineffective and a waste of taxpayer dollars.
• The federal government’s own study of the Title V abstinence-only-until-marriage program found these programs to be completely ineffective at their stated goals.
• Moreover, study after study has shown that abstinence-only-until-marriage programs have no effect whatsoever.
• It is time for the federal government to stop wasting taxpayer dollars on these failed programs.
• I stand with the millions of Americans who support teaching young people how to wait until they are ready to have sex, sexual decision making, and contraception and safer sex. Nationwide polls show that eight-in-ten voters want young people to receive a comprehensive approach to sex education.