"Celebrating the fact that this bill reserves a third of its prevention funding for abstinence programs is like celebrating the fact that condoms are effective 85% of the time," said Ed Szymkowiak, national director of STOPP International, an American Life League project.
"In both cases, you are overlooking the 800-pound gorilla in the corner. Namely, that a substantial portion of the so-called prevention funding is being spent on condoms, which have been proven to be inadequate at protecting against HIV/AIDS," said Szymkowiak.
The bill, which was signed by President George W. Bush in a White House ceremony, does not include the so-called "Mexico City" protections that would prevent funds from being distributed to international organizations that perform or promote abortion.
"It is ludicrous to believe that groups such as International Planned Parenthood (IPPF)-which have a vested financial interest in promoting non-marital sexual activity-can be trusted to use such funds to educate Africans to the real answer to the AIDS/HIV epidemic: teaching abstinence until marriage and fidelity in marriage," continued Szymkowiak. "The so-called education done by groups like IPPF encourages promiscuity, which in turn increases the spread of AIDS."
"Despite the best intentions of many pro-family legislators who wanted to steer this bill in the right direction, it is simply not on par with the traditional family values the administration claims to represent," stated Szymkowiak. "The American taxpayers deserve better than to have their hard-earned money wasted on tired, old methods that we know will not work."
STOPP International's recent Ryan Report Special Edition 2003 details how billions of taxpayer dollars have been funneled to organizations like IPPF, Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the Alan Guttmacher Institute to support a pro-contraception, pro-abortion agenda.
Release issued: 28 May 03
