Population Report
Edition II,
Spring 2008
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News from Capitol Hill
Funding for International Family Planning Programs
The House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs is expected to mark-up their appropriations bill on July 16th. Sierra Club, along with other colleague organizations, is targeting subcommittee members, House and Senate leadership, as well as all Congressional members.
Why We Are Asking for $ 1 Billion
Voluntary family planning programs like those carried out by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) are critical to empowering women, improving health care, and protecting the global environment. Such programs enable individuals and couples to decide the number, spacing, and timing of their children and to have the information and means to do so, free from violence, coercion, and discrimination. These programs are also the most cost-effective intervention to avoid the transmission of HIV. By increasing funding for international family planning programs to $ 1 billion in FY 2009, the United States can help bring an end to the rise of poverty, hunger, environmental degradation, and gender inequality that comes with poor health care and rapid population growth. Check out the "What Will $1 Billion Buy" factsheet developed in partnership among 15 organizations to learn more.
Timing for the Senate to mark-up their spending bill is unclear. They are likely to take action after the House bill goes to the full Appropriations Committee in July. However, it is possible that the Senate will not take any action until after the August recess.
Take Action! The time to voice your support for an increase in funding for international family planning programs is now!
Funding for Domestic Family Planning
The Global Population and Environment Program is also voicing our support for an increase in funding for Title X, the national family planning program. During the week of June 23rd, both the House and Senate Labor Health and Human Services full appropriations committees met. The Senate approved $300 million (flat-funding) for Title X and a $28 million cut to the Community-Based Abstinence Education (CBAE) Program. The House, however, never finished their mark-up.The House bill currently provides for a significant $15 million increase for Title X, bringing funding to $315 million. The House bill also flat-funds the ineffective CBAE program, which has received more than $1.5 billion in federal taxpayer funds. The House is expected to get their bill done before the August recess. Neither the House nor Senate bill is likely to come to the floor for a vote.
Sierra Club, along with partner organizations, is advocating for $400 million for Title X (a $100 million increase from last year). At a minimum, we are asking that Title X receive a $30 million (10%) increase - similar to the $28 million (also 10%) minimum we advocated for last year.
Global Poverty Act (S.2433)
The Global Population and Environment Program is also working with coalition partners to push for co-sponsorship of the Global Poverty Act in the Senate. Currently there are 20 cosponsors. If you have not yet thanked your Senators for supporting the bill or have not already encouraged them to cosponsor it, please do so today!
Check out the current list of cosponsors.
Tell at least five friends
about the Population Report and get them involved with Sierra Club's Global Population and Environment Program.
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