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Senate Finance Panel Agrees at Last—to Fund Abstinence Ed

Conrad, Lincoln, join GOP to pass measure

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Sep 30, 2009 8:12 AM CDT
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(Newser) – On the same day it voted to kill Democrats' hopes for a health bill with a public option, the Senate Finance Committee showed the love to abstinence. Committee Republicans displayed a little nostalgia for the Bush administration, voting to restore $50 million a year in federal funding for abstinence-only education that President Obama has pushed to eliminate. The 12-11 vote came over objections from chairman Max Baucus.

Democrats Kent Conrad of North Dakota and Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas joined all 10 committee Republicans in voting for Orrin Hatch's proposal; the measure will still have to pass the full House and Senate. Obama had proposed in his 2010 budget to direct money spent on abstinence-only education to broader teen pregnancy-reduction programs. An alternate measure offered by Baucus to make money available for education on contraception and STDs in addition to abstinence also passed, in a 14-9 vote.

Senate Finance Committee members Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, left, and Sen. Kent Conrad, D-ND, talk on Capitol Hill.
Senate Finance Committee members Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, left, and Sen. Kent Conrad, D-ND, talk on Capitol Hill.   (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Sen. Kent Conrad, D-ND, speaks with the press before a meeting on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2009, in Washington.
Sen. Kent Conrad, D-ND, speaks with the press before a meeting on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2009, in Washington.   (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)
In this March 24, 2009, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Sen. Kent Conrad, D-ND, meets with reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington.
In this March 24, 2009, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Sen. Kent Conrad, D-ND, meets with reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington.   (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, FILE)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 53 comments
Spydiggity
Oct 3, 2009 3:25 AM CDT
tman, you're a complete retard. it's best that you just delete your newser account
fancygapva
Oct 1, 2009 2:06 AM CDT
@tman you're a 33 year old virgin who is very concerned that children be "pure." Purity in children in one of the obsessions of many child molesters. Are you a 33 year old virgin who has just played with little kids? And that's not really sex? How old was your sister when you witnessed that? how old were you? At certain ages sexual preferences (not orientations) are imprinted. Is that the source of fascination here, for you? You need to wonder why this thread got you so upset and why you expressed it in such ugly ways. I do.
Spudsy
Sep 30, 2009 10:26 AM CDT
Don't go trashing astrology rkossik, The great Republican God Reagan used it in the White House with Nancy.

 
sex education • abstinence education • Orrin Hatch • Senate Finance Committee • Max Baucus • Kent Conrad • Blanche Lincoln

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