Message from the president.

Each year, many of us make New Year's resolutions. When the resolution is something we truly want, we usually ensure that it happens. In the current political climate--a predominantly anti-choice and anti-sexuality education House and Senate, as well as an Administration that has demonstrated its unfriendliness to the issues we care about most--old challenges are resurfacing and new challenges are emerging. From recent and promised actions by the President and Congress, the New Year's resolution of many elected federal policymakers is to slowly, but surely, turn back the clock on advances made in sexual and reproductive health policies.

While abortion has been the most frequent battle with conservatives, they also have a new target. Abstinence-only-until-marriage programs are the next battleground for the far right.

In recent years, the U.S. government has consistently increased its financial investment in unproven abstinence-only-until-marriage programs. Today, this investment has reached more than $100 million annually through three federal funding streams.

The President's proposed fiscal year 2003 budget includes an additional $33 million, raising federal funding for abstinence-only-until-marriage programs to $135 million each year. These millions of taxpayer dollars harm generations of young people by providing misinformation and sending fear and shame-based messages.

Increasingly, physicians from the conservative right are speaking out against comprehensive sexuality education. The National Physicians Center for Family Resources (NPC) espouses such opinions as "to continue suggesting that contraceptive-based education will protect the overall health of America's adolescents is a prescription for continued disaster." Links on NPC's Web site include Dr. Laura Schlessinger, the Heritage Foundation, and the Family Research Council, among other conservative groups.

In Texas, Dr. Patricia Sulak is leading a training program for physicians, referencing the Medical Institute for Sexual Health, a group of conservative physicians, rather than the American Medical Association. Dr. Sulak developed the Scott & White curriculum "Worth the Wait," an abstinence-only-until-marriage program used in middle schools in 10 central Texas counties and being marketed nationwide. "Worth the Wait" manipulates facts on sexual and reproductive health in an attempt to scare young people into being abstinent. This program lacks any discussion of disease prevention (with the exception of abstinence), disease treatment, or contraception. Sadly, this minority of physician voices holds a great deal of public credibility.

Conservative policymakers recently attempted to incite an audit of Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), Advocates for Youth (AFY), and SIECUS. In September 2002, a group of conservative Members of Congress requested that the Department of Health and Human Services open an investigation into PPFA, AFY, and SIECUS, suggesting the misuse of taxpayer dollars to support our "No New Money" education and advocacy campaign. This attack was completely without basis or truth. It appeared to us to be an attempt to defund organizations that support comprehensive sexuality education and reproductive rights. SIECUS (as did the other groups) provided its assurances that no federal funds were used in any way to support our policy or advocacy efforts. We have consistently proven our fiscal responsibility through years of clean audits and openly offered our accounting records for review.

As 2003 begins, we are at a critical juncture. While we are sure to face substantial roadblocks, working collaboratively with our colleagues, we believe we can make critical inroads that protect comprehensive sexuality education programs and prevent restrictive, unproven, shame and fear-based abstinence-only-until-marriage programs. Realistically, making great strides to advance sexuality and reproductive health issues is not likely at the federal level this year. However, with your continued support, we can hold our ground in 2003 and realize our wins in states, communities, and neighborhoods across the country.