Spending Bill Reinstates Abstinence Education Funding

December 17, 2011

A $662 billion omnibus spending bill passed by Congress Dec. 14 contains $5 million for abstinence education programs, WORLD News Service reports. In 2009, the Obama administration slashed community-based sexual risk avoidance (SRA) programs from the federal budget -- giving comprehensive, condom-based sex education programs $16 for every $1 spent on abstinence education. However, "this funding of five million dollars is contrasted against about 100 million dollars in the budget for contraceptive sex education," said Valerie Huber of the National Abstinence Education Association. "We are a long way from parity. But it's definitely a step in the right direction."