Members of the Senate Telephone Directory
If you contact your lawmaker via email, make sure you include
your full name and mailing address so that they can verify that
you are a constituent.
We suggest that you research the matter from
the links above and from
WOA's Funding Page, and then come up with a letter that you can send your legislator or notes from which you can talk when you go see your representative at her/his Washington DC office or at her/his local office.
National Audubon Society's Population & Habitat Campaign's
Legislative Guide - including How to Lobby, Rationale of family planning assistance, the Key Players, etc.
Lobby your Congressperson
CONGRESSIONAL SCHEDULE (tentative)
The best time to schedule a district meeting with your
member of Congress is during one of the holidays and
district work periods.
| January 1 - 24 | | Winter District Work Period |
| January 24 . | | 106th Congress, 2nd session convenes |
| February 12 | | Lincoln's Birthday |
| February 21-25 | | President's Day District Work Period |
| April 17-28 | | Spring District Work Period |
| May 29 -June 2 | | Memorial Day District Work Period |
| July 3 - July 7 | | Independence Day District Work Period |
| August 1 - September 5 | | Summer District Work Period |
| October 6 | | Target adjournment |
| November 7 | | Election Day |
| November 11 | | Veterans Day |
| November 23 | | Thanksgiving Day |
| December 4 | | Hanukkah |
| December 25 | | Christmas |
*Please note, because 2000 is an election year, Congress'
fall adjournment may occur as early as October 6, 2000. As
a result, legislative action concerning the FY2001 Foreign
Operations Appropriations bill will most likely be initiated
earlier than past years.
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Find out something about your lawmaker.
July, 1999 vote: How Your Lawmakers Voted on Funding for Foreign Family Planning - UNFPA
Legislative Alert from the Population Institute.
Who sponsored US legislation supporting the UNFPA.
Profiles of your Representative or Senators
Lawmaker background:
Click on first letter of Legislator's last name:
A
B
C
D
E F
G
H
I J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q R
S
T
U
V
W
X Y Z
From "How Does Congress Approach Population and Family Planning Issues?" by S. Patterson, and D. Adamson ...
Congressional opinions on issues related to population are highly polarized. Approximately 90 percent of Congress consistently votes either uniformly to support or uniformly to oppose population-related legislation--so the remaining 10 percent is likely to determine the fate of such initiatives. To determine how this critical group makes its decisions, researchers interviewed a sample of legislative directors (chosen as proxies, to allow in-depth interviews). Most respondents felt that the United States should continue to play a leading role internationally, but several also stressed that their members of Congress favor increased emphasis on multilateral approaches. A majority felt that world population growth is a problem but is not urgent. Nearly unanimous support was expressed for U.S. support of voluntary family planning when it is understood to exclude
abortion. Congress would benefit from research-based, factual information on a variety of international population issues.
Is your lawmaker -
- For US foreign funding of family planning clinics -
ask if your lawmaker will co-sponsor the bill HR895
- Against family planning -
point out that many of his constituents are using family planning and wouldn't he want the same for the poor families in other countries.
- Doesn't think overpopulation is a problem -
Give him facts and figures about population
and tell him about the worldwide impacts
or point out the economic benefits of limiting family size.
Explain that, while birth rates are falling, they are not falling fast enough, and the number of women of childbearing age is at an all-time high.
- Is against abortion -
Tell him that family planning prevents abortions.
- Is Catholic -
Send him copies of these two articles:
- Pope Faults Rich Countries
for Damaging Environment ("serious environmental unbalances" had wreaked "particularly nefarious and
disastrous consequences on various countries and the world itself." )
and
-
Children Suffer most in World's most Polluted Cities
- (these are not in the rich countries)
- Has Been Listening to the Christian Coalition? -
- Send him excerpts from WOA!s religion page.
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Build Mutual Respect
- Avoid taking the direct opposite point of view.
- Avoid trying to prove that your lawmaker is wrong, all wrong.
- Find something that your lawmaker has done that you like and mention it.
- The "Us Against Them" approach seldom wins converts.
- Ask questions of your lawmaker to see what his concerns are and
to show that you are open.
- Offer to be a resource. But use only statistics that have a reliable source.
- Address only one or two points. Try not to be argumentative.
- Find out what statistics your lawmaker is using and what is the source.
Research them and
check their veracity with organizations like ZPG, NWF, Audubon Society, and
Population Action International (see links page).
- Use a personal antecdote to illustrate your point, but balance that
with objective, not gut-level, facts.
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14 Steps To An Effective Visit with your Legislator (from ZPG)
- Dress nicely but comfortably.
- Introduce yourself and where you are from (city, neighborhood, organizations, affiliation.) Make a connection to their district.
- Lead with an appreciation-Thanks for meeting with me. Thanks for your vote on XX.
- State clearly and concisely: your issue and your position on the issue;-What you want him/her to do?
- Stress how the issue will affect the member's district or state.
- Give the legislator a brief fact sheet.
- Mention other organizations, important individuals, government officials, &/or legislators that support your position.
- Be a good listener. Be ready to write down what happened immediately after the meeting.
- Answer questions, but if you don't know the answer tell them you will find out and get back to them.
- Ask a direct question to which the legislator can respond “YES" such as "Can we count on you to co-sponsor the bill?"
- Thank the legislator for his/her time and find out the names and titles of any aides working on the issue.
- Always follow up with a prompt thank you letter.
- When appropriate, report back to coalition groups, friends, the press and others about your meeting.
- ENJOY YOURSELF! YOU ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE!
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106th Congress, July 20, 1999 vote: Gilman/Campbell/Maloney/McKInney et al amendment to H.R. 2415, The American Embassy Security Act.
The amendment allows up to $25 million to be appropriated to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in FY2000.
Passed, 221-198
Y: Yes, vote in favor of amendment*
N: No, vote opposed to amendment
NV: no vote, member was absent and did not vote
*Yes is the pro-population assistance vote
Alaska
Don Young R-at large N
Alabama
Sonny Callahan R-01 N
Terry Everett R-02 N
Bob Riley R-03 N
Robert Aderholt R-04 N
Bud Cramer D-05 Y
Spencer Bachus R-06 N
Earl Hilliard D-07 Y
Arkansas
Marion Berry D-01 Y
Vic Snyder D-02 Y
Asa Hutchinson R-03 N
Jay Dickey R-04 N
Arizona
Matt Salmon R-01 N
Ed Pastor D-02 Y
Bob Stump R-03 N
John Shadegg R-04 N
Jim Kolbe R-05 N
J.D. Hayworth R-06 N
California
Mike Thompson D-01 N
Wally Herger R-02 N
Douglas Ose R-03 Y
John Doolittle R-04 N
Robert Matsui D-05 Y
Lynn Woolsey D-06 Y
George Miller D-07 Y
Nancy Pelosi D-08 Y
Barbara Lee D-09 Y
Ellen Tauscher D-10 Y
Richard Pombo R-11 N
Tom Lantos D-12 Y
Pete Stark D-13 NV
Anna Eshoo D-14 Y
Tom Campbell R-15 Y
Zoe Lofgren D-16 Y
Sam Farr D-17 Y
Gary Condit D-18 Y
George Radanovich R-19 N
Calvin Dooley D-20 Y
William Thomas R-21 Y
Lois Capps D-22 Y
Elton Gallegly R-23 N
Brad Sherman D-24 Y
Howard McKeon R-25 N
Howard Berman D-26 Y
James Rogan R-27 N
David Dreier R-28 N
Henry Waxman D-29 Y
Xavier Becerra D-30 Y
Matthew Martinez D-31 Y
Julian Dixon D-32 Y
Lucille Roybal-Allard D-33 Y
Grace Napolitano D-34 Y
Maxine Waters D-35 Y
Steven Kuykendall R-36 Y
Juanita Millender-McDonald D-37 Y
Steve Horn R-38 Y
Ed Royce R-39 N
Jerry Lewis R-40 Y
Garry Miller R-41 N
Ken Calvert R-43 N
Mary Bono R-44 Y
Dana Rohrabacher R-45 Y
Loretta Sanchez D-46 Y
Christopher Cox R-47 N
Ron Packard R-48 N
Brian Bilbray R-49 Y
Bob Filner D-50 Y
Randy Cunningham R-51 N
Duncan Hunter R-52 N
Colorado
Dianna DeGette D-01 Y
Mark Udall D-02 Y
Scott McInnis R-03 N
Bob Schaffer R-04 N
Joel Hefley R-05 N
Tom Tancredo R-06 N
Connecticut
John Larson D-01 Y
Sam Gejdenson D-02 Y
Rosa DeLauro D-03 Y
Christopher Shays R-04 Y
James Maloney D-05 Y
Nancy Johnson R-06 Y
Delaware
Michael Castle R-01 Y
Florida
Joe Scarborough R-01 N
Allen Boyd D-02 Y
Corrine Brown D-03 Y
Tillie Fowler R-04 Y
Karen Thurman D-05 Y
Clifford Stearns R-06 N
John Mica R-07 N
Bill McCollum R-08 N
Michael Bilirakis R-09 N
C. W. Young R-10 N
Jim Davis D-11 Y
Charles Canady R-12 N
Dan Miller R-13 Y
Porter Goss R-14 N
Dave Weldon R-15 N
Mark Foley R-16 Y
Carrie Meek D-17 Y
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen R-18 N
Robert Wexler D-19 Y
Peter Deutsch D-20 Y
Lincoln Di –Balart R-21 N
Clay E. Shaw R-22 Y
Alcee Hastings D-23 N
Georgia
Jack Kingston R-01 N
Sanford Bishop D-02 Y
Michael Collins R-03 N
Cynthia McKinney D-04 Y
John Lewis D-05 NV
Johnny Isakson R-06 Y
Bob Barr R-07 N
Saxby Chambliss R-08 N
Nathan Deal R-09 N
Charlie Norwood R-10 N
John Linder D-11 Y
Hawaii
Neil Abercrombie D-01 Y
Patsy Mink D-02 Y
Iowa
Jim Leach R-01 Y
Jim Nussle R-02 N
Leonard Boswell D-03 Y
Greg Ganske R-04 Y
Tom Latham R-05 N
Idaho
Helen Chenoweth R-01 N
Mike Simpson R-02 N
Illinois
Bobby Rush D-01 Y
Jesse Jackson D-02 Y
William Lipinski D-03 N
Luis Gutierrez D-04 Y
RodBlagojevich D-05 Y
Henry Hyde R-06 N
Danny Davis D-07 Y
Philip Crane R-08 N
Janice Schakowsky D-09 Y
John Porter R-10 Y
Jerry Weller R-11 N
Jerry Costello D-12 N
Judy Biggert R-13 Y
J. Hastert R-14 N
Thomas Ewing R-15 N
Donald Manzullo R-16 N
Lane Evans D-17 Y
Ray LaHood R-18 N
David Phelps D-19 N
John Shimkus R-20 N
Indiana
Peter Visclosky D-01 Y
David McIntosh R-02 N
Tim Roemer D-03 N
Mark Souder R-04 N
Stephen Buyer R-05 N
Dan Burton R-06 N
Ed Pease R-07 N
John Hostettler R-08 N
Baron Hill D-09 Y
Julia Carson D-10 Y
Kansas
Jerry Moran R-01 N
Jim Ryun R-02 N
Dennis Moore D-03 Y
Todd Tiahrt R-04 N
Kentucky
Edward Whitfield R-01 N
Ron Lewis R-02 N
Anne Northup R-03 N
Kenneth Lucas D-04 N
Harold Rogers R-05 N
Ernie Fletcher R-06 N
Louisiana
David Vitter R-01 N
William Jefferson D-02 NV
W. (Billy) Tauzin R-03 N
Jim McCrery R-04 N
John Cooksey R-05 Y
Richard Baker R-06 NV
Christopher John D-07 N
Massachusetts
John Olver D-01 Y
Richard Neal D-02 Y
James McGovern D-03 Y
Barney Frank D-04 Y
Martin Meehan D-05 Y
John Tierney D-06 Y
Edward Markey D-07 Y
Michael Capuano D-08 Y
Joe Moakley D-09 Y
William Delahunt D-10 Y
Maryland
Wayne Gilchrest R-01 Y
Robert Ehrlich R-02 Y
Benjamin Cardin D-03 Y
Albert Wynn D-04 Y
Steny Hoyer D-05 Y
Roscoe Bartlett R-06 N
Elijah Cummings D-07 Y
Constance Morella R-08 Y
Maine
Thomas Allen D-01 Y
John Baldacci D-02 Y
Michigan
Bart Stupak D-01 N
Peter Hoekstra R-2 N
Vern Ehlers R-03 N
Dave Camp R-04 N
James Barcia D-05 N
Fred Upton R-06 Y
Nick Smith R-07 N
Debbie Stabenow D-08 Y
Dale Kildee D-09 N
David Bonior D-10 Y
Joe Knollenberg R-11 N
Sander Levin D-12 Y
Lynn Rivers D-13 Y
John Conyers D-14 Y
Carolyn Kilpatrick D-15 Y
John Dingell D-16 Y
Minnesota
Gil Gutknecht R-01 N
David Minge D-02 Y
Jim Ramstad R-03 N
Bruce Vento D-04 Y
Martin Sabo D-05 Y
William Luther D-06 Y
Collin Peterson D-07 N
James Oberstar D-08 Y
Missouri
William Clay D-01 Y
James Talent R-02 N
Richard Gephardt D-03 Y
Ike Skelton D-04 N
Karen McCarthy D-05 Y
Pat Danner D-06 N
Roy Blunt R-07 N
Jo Anne Emerson R-08 N
Kenny Hulshof R-09 N
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Mississippi
Roger Wicker R-01 N
Bennie Thompson D-02 Y
Charles Pickering R-03 N
Ronnie Shows D-04 N
Gene Taylor D-05 N
Montana
Rick Hill R-at large N
North Carolina
Eva Clayton D-01 Y
Bob Etheridge D-02 Y
Walter Jones R-03 N
David Price D-04 Y
Richard Burr R-05 N
Howard Coble R-06 NV
Mike McIntyre D-07 N
Robert Hayes R-08 N
Sue Myrick R-09 N
Cass Ballenger R-10 N
Charles Taylor R-11 N
Melvin Watt D-12 Y
North Dakota
Earl Pomeroy D-01 Y
Nebraska
Doug Bereuter R-01 Y
Lee Terry R-02 N
Bill Barrett R-03 N
New Hampshire
John Sununu R-01 N
Charles Bass R-02 Y
New Jersey
Robert Andrews D-01 Y
Frank LoBiondo R-02 N
Jim Saxton R-03 N
Christopher Smith R-04 N
Marge Roukema R-05 Y
Frank Pallone D-06 Y
Bob Franks R-07 Y
Bill Pascrell D-08 Y
Steven Rothman D-09 Y
Donald Payne D-10 Y
Rodney Frelinghuysen R-11 Y
Rush Holt D-12 Y
Robert Menendez D-13 Y
New Mexico
Heather Wilson R-01 Y
Joe Skeen R-02 N
Thomas Udall D-03 Y
Nevada
Shelley Berkley D-01 Y
Jim Gibbons R-02 Y
New York
Michael Forbes D-01 N
Rick Lazio R-02 Y
Peter King R-03 N
Carolyn McCarthy D-04 Y
Gary Ackerman D-05 Y
Gregory Meeks D-06 Y
Joseph Crowley D-07 Y
Jerrold Nadler D-08 Y
Anthony Weiner D-09 Y
Edolphus Towns D-10 NV
Major Owens D-11 Y
Nydia Velazquez D-12 Y
Vito Fossella R-13 N
Carolyn Maloney D-14 Y
Charles Rangel D-15 Y
Jose Serrano D-16 Y
Eliot Engel D-17 Y
Nita Lowey D-18 Y
Sue Kelly R-19 Y
Benjamin Gilman R-20 Y
Michael McNulty D-21 Y
John Sweeney R-22 Y
Sherwood Boehlert R-23 Y
John McHugh R-24 N
James Walsh R-25 N
Maurice Hinchey D-26 NV
Thomas Reynolds R-27 N
Louise Slaughter D-28 Y
John LaFalce D-29 N
Jack Quinn R-30 N
Amo Houghton R-31 Y
Ohio
Steve Chabot R-01 N
Rob Portman R-02 N
Tony Hall D-03 N
Michael Oxley R-04 N
Paul Gillmor R-05 N
Ted Strickland D-06 Y
David Hobson R-07 Y
John Boehner R-08 N
Marcy Kaptur D-09 Y
Dennis Kucinich D-10 N
Stephanie Tubbs Jones D-11 Y
John Kasich R-12 N
Sherrod Brown D-13 Y
Thomas Sawyer D-14 Y
Deborah Pryce R-15 Y
Ralph Regula R-16 Y
James Traficant D-17 N
Bob Ney R-18 N
Steven LaTourette R-19 Y
Oklahoma
Steve Largent R-01 N
Tom Coburn R-02 N
Wes Watkins R-03 N
J.C. Watts R-04 N
Ernest Istook R-05 N
Frank Lucas R-06 N
Oregon
David Wu D-01 Y
Greg Walden R-02 N
Earl Blumenauer D-03 Y
Peter DeFio D-04 Y
Darlene Hooley D-05 Y
Pennsylvania
Robert Brady D-01 Y
Chaka Fattah D-02 Y
Robert Borski D-03 Y
Ron Klink D-04 Y
John Peterson R-05 NV
Tim Holden D-06 NV
Curt Weldon R-07 N
Jim Greenwood R-08 Y
Bud Shuster R-09 N
Donald Sherwood R-10 N
Paul Kanjorski D-11 Y
John Murtha D-12 Y
Joseph Hoeffel D-13 Y
William Coyne D-14 Y
Patrick Toomey R-15 N
Joseph Pitts R-16 N
George Gekas R-17 N
Mike Doyle D-18 Y
William Goodling R-19 N
Frank Mascara D-20 N
Phil English R-21 NV
Rhode Island
Patrick Kennedy D-01 NV
Robert Weygand D-02 N
South Carolina
Mark Sanford R-01 N
Floyd Spence R-02 N
Lindsey Graham R-03 N
James DeMint R-04 N
John Spratt D-05 Y
James Clyburn D-06 Y
South Dakota
John Thune R-at large N
Tennessee
William Jenkins R-01 N
John Duncan R-02 N
Zach Wamp R-03 N
Van Hilleary R-04 N
Bob Clement D-05 Y
Bart Gordon D-06 Y
Ed Bryant R-07 N
John Tanner D-08 Y
Harold Ford D-09 Y
Texas
Max Sandlin D-01 Y
Jim Turner D-02 Y
Sam Johnson R-03 N
Ralph Hall D-04 N
Pete Sessions R-05 N
Joe Barton R-06 N
Bill Archer R-07 N
Kevin Brady R-08 N
Nick Lampson D-09 Y
Lloyd Doggett D-10 Y
Chet Edwards D-11 Y
Kay Granger R-12 Y
William Thornberry R-13 N
Ron Paul R-14 N
Ruben Hinojosa D-15 Y
Silvestre Reyes D-16 Y
Charles Stenholm D-17 N
Sheila Jackson Lee D-18 Y
Larry Combest R-19 NV
Charlie Gonzalez D-20 Y
Lamar Smith R-21 N
Tom DeLay R-22 N
Henry Bonilla R-23 N
Martin Frost D-24 Y
Ken Bentsen D-25 Y
Richard Armey R-26 N
Solomon Ortiz D-27 NV
Ciro Rodriguez D-28 Y
Gene Green D-29 Y
EddieBernice Johnson D-30 Y
Utah
James Hansen R-01 N
MerrillCook R-02 N
Chris Cannon R-03 N
Virginia
Herbert Bateman R-01 N
Owen Pickett D-02 N
Robert Scott D-03 N
Norman Sisisky D-04 N
Virgil Goode D-05 N
Robert Goodlatte R-06 N
Thomas Bliley R-07 N
James Moran D-08 Y
Rick Boucher D-09 Y
Frank Wolf R-10 N
Tom Davis R-11 Y
Vermont
Bernard Sanders I at large Y
Washington
Jay Inslee D-01 Y
Jack Metcalf R-02 N
Brian Baird D-03 Y
Richard Hastings R-04 N
George Nethercutt R-05 N
Norman Dicks D-06 Y
Jim McDermott D-07 NV
JenniferDunn R-08 N
Adam Smith D-09 Y
Wisconsin
Paul Ryan R-01 N
Tammy Baldwin D-02 Y
Ron Kind D-03 Y
Gerald Kleczka D-04 Y
Thomas Barrett D-05 Y
Thomas Petri R-06 N
David Obey D-07 Y
Mark Green R-08 N
F. Sensenbrenner R-09 N
West Virginia
Alan Mollohan D-01 N
Bob Wise D-02 Y
Nick Rahall D-03 N
Wyoming
Barbara Cubin R-at large N
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July 20, 1999 vote: House Appropriations Committee,
Pelosi Amendment on UNFPA
The amendment allows up to $25 million to be appropriated to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in FY2000.
Passed, 30 – 26
Y: Yes, vote in favor of amendment*
N: No, vote opposed to amendment
NV: no vote, member was absent and did not vote
*Yes is the pro-population assistance vote
Alabama
Sonny Callahan R-01 N
Robert Aderholt R-04 N
Bud Cramer D-05 Y
Arizona
Ed Pastor D-02 Y
Jim Kolbe R-05 Y
Arkansas
Jay Dickey R-04 N
California
Nancy Pelosi D-08 Y
Sam Farr D-17 Y
Julian Dixon D-32 Y
Lucille Roybal-Allard D-33 Y
Jerry Lewis R-40 N
*Voted Yes on HR. 2415
Ron Packard R-48 N
Randy Cunningham R-51 N
Connecticut
Rosa DeLauro D-03 Y
Florida
Allen Boyd D-02 Y
C. W. Young R-10 N
Dan Miller R-13 Y
Carrie Meek D-17 Y
Georgia
Jack Kingston R-01 N
Iowa
Tom Latham R-05 N
Illinois
Jesse Jackson D-02 Y
John Porter R-10 Y
Indiana
Peter Visclosky D-01 Y
Kansas
Todd Tiahrt R-04 N
Kentucky
Anne Northup R-03 N
Harold Rogers R-05 N
Massachusetts
John Olver D-01 Y
Maryland
Steny Hoyer D-05 Y
Michigan
Joe Knollenberg R-11 N
Carolyn Kilpatrick D-15 Y
Minnesota
Martin Sabo D-05 Y
| |
Missouri
Roy Blunt R-07 N
Jo Anne Emerson R-08 N
Mississippi
Roger Wicker R-01 N
Gene Taylor D-05 N
North Carolina
David Price D-04 Y
New Hampshire
John Sununu R-01 N
New Jersey
Rodney Frelinghuysen R-11 N
*Voted Yes on HR. 2415
New Mexico
Joe Skeen R-02 N
New York
Jose Serrano D-16 Y
Nita Lowey D-18 Y
James Walsh R-25 NV
Maurice Hinchey D-26 NV
Ohio
David Hobson R-07 Y
Marcy Kaptur D-09 Y
Ralph Regula R-16 Y
Oklahoma
Ernest Istook R-05 N
Pennsylvania
John Peterson R-05 NV
John Murtha D-12 NV
South Carolina
James Clyburn D-06 Y
TennesseeZach Wamp R-03 N
Texas
Chet Edwards D-11 Y
Kay Granger R-12 Y
Tom DeLay R-22 N
Henry Bonilla R-23 N
Virginia
James Moran D-08 Y
Frank Wolf R-10 N
Washington
George Nethercutt R-05 N
Norman Dicks D-06 Y
Wisconsin
David Obey D-07 Y
West Virginia
Alan Mollohan D-01 NV
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National Audubon Society Population & Habitat Program
International Population Assistance
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Sample Letter to a member of the US House of Representatives supporting Title X
I wish to appeal for your support for the maximum possible funding for
Title X of the Public Health Service Act--Domestic Family Planning
Assistance which pays for gynecological and contraceptive services for
poor US women. President Clinton's FY2000 budget contains $240 million
for the Title X family-planning grant program. (Congress approved $237
million for FY1999 and $215 million for FY1998.)
Every public dollar spent for family planning services saves $4.40--over
$3 in medical costs alone--that otherwise would be spent over the next
two years to provide medical care, welfare benefits and other social
services to pregnant women. Publicly funded family planning services
prevent an average of 1.2 million unintended pregnancies each year,
including 516,000 abortions (1995 data).
Public support for family planning services for those who would be unable
to afford them is a cost-effective way of reducing the public costs of
problems like aid to families with dependent children, poverty, drugs,
prison over-crowding, crowded classrooms and numerous other costs that
taxpayers support. Yet, despite all these benefits, funding for Title X
has fallen 72% during 1980-98 (corrected for inflation). As a result,
fewer than 50% of women eligible for Title X services now receive these
services.
No Title X funding is used for abortions. In fact, Title X services
significantly reduces the need for abortions by preventing unplanned
pregnancies. (Nearly half of unintended pregnancies end in abor tion in
the US.) About 60% of all pregnancies to US women are unplanned--about
three million/year. But 76% of pregnancies to poor women are unplanned.
In the US, the proportion of births that are unintended is as high as or
higher than it is in 25 developing countries.
About 33 million US women are considered to be at risk for unintended
pregnancy; more than 16 million are low-income women needing subsidized
contraceptive services (1995 data).
Compared with other industrialized countries, US teenagers experience
considerably higher rates of pregnancy, despite the fact that levels of
adolescent sexual activity are about the same. The US teenage pregnancy
rate is twice as high as in Eng land, France, Wales and Canada, and 9
times as high as in the Nether lands. One million US teenagers become
pregnant every year, 85% unintentionally. Half of these pregnancies end
in birth, a third in abortion, and the rest in miscarriage (1995 data).
73% of US teenagers who accidentally become pregnant are poor or
low-income, even though overall only 38% of those aged 15-19 are poor or
low-income. 54% of lower income teenagers who become pregnant choose to
have an abortion (1995 data).
Sincerely, ...
A personal letter sent by mail is usually the most effective way
to impact your lawmakers.