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Population Report Winter 2002 Printer-friendly version of this page News From Capitol Hill: Status of US Funding for Family Planning Programs – the President’s Plan President Bush formally submitted his proposed US budget for 2003 to Congress in early February. His budget, which is non-binding, serves as a starting point for House and Senate committees to begin their discussions about the US 2003 budget. Reading between the President’s proposed budget lines tells quite a different story than the one he would have the public believe from the statements he made at the State of the Union address. In the address, the President indicated broad support for women in Afghanistan, yet his actions speak loudly about his actual lack of support to secure an adequately funded, full range of US assistance for women around the world. International Family Planning Funding Threatened! United Nations Population Fund - UNFPA The President’s budget appears to zero out funding for UNFPA for 2003. In addition, the budget seems to indicate that the Administration will continue to withold UNFPA funding for 2002 –- though a glimmer of hope remains in that $34 million for 2002 has been "reserved," indicating that a final decision has yet to be made. The bottom line is that the President has made every indication to withdraw support for the United Nations population work. Who will suffer? Women, children and their families from around the world who depend on UN family planning programs. Find out more about UNFPA. United States Agency for International Develpoment - USAID As in past years, the President’s budget for USAID does not contain one specific line to allocate money for their population and family planning work. $425 million has been mentioned as the specific allocation, but the Administration claims that it is not yet certain how much or where all $425 million of the funds would come from within the overall USAID budget. Additionally, $425 million represents the same amount of funding that the program received in 2001 and exactly what the Administration asked for in 2002. However, Congress ultimately approved $446.5 million for USAID’s family planning programs for 2002, so the President’s request for 2003 is actually a $21.5 million cut from last year. Domestic Family Planning Funding President Bush’s proposed budget for 2003 includes $266 million for the Title X family planning program -- essentially the same level of funding as last year. The budget requests boosting funding for abstinence-unless-married education by a $33 million increase over FY 2002. The Administration suggests the increase is necessary to achieve "parity" between funding for "teen contraceptive services" and abstinence-unless-married education. Heavy on its social agenda, the Administration’s proposed budget seeks to implement aspects of the President’s faith-based initiative, which could put additional pressure on public health providers. The budget requests $100 million for the "Compassion Capital Fund," which was created last year with a $30 million appropriation, to increase the capacity of faith-based and community organizations to deliver services and administer grants. In a departure from last year, and taking at least one step in the right direction, the Administration’s budget does continue to require federal employee health plans to cover contraceptives if they cover other prescription drugs. For more information and factsheets about domestic family programs and Title X, visit the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association Website. Back to Winter 2002 Population Report Up to Top HOME | Email Signup | About Us | Contact Us | Terms of Use | © 2008 Sierra Club