WASHINGTON -- March 18 -- Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, blasted the Senate for caving to hard-line anti-birth-control groups by blocking an effort to secure funding for programs aimed at preventing unintended pregnancy and reducing the need for abortion.

NARAL Pro-Choice America was an early supporter of the amendment offered by Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) to the FY 2006 congressional budget resolution and its nationwide network of grassroots activists urged their senators to support the measure.

The Senate rejected the measure by a vote of 47 to 53.

Keenan said Americans will be outraged when they learn the Senate blocked equitable insurance coverage for women’s birth control, increased awareness of emergency contraceptives, teen-pregnancy prevention programs, and other efforts included in the Reid-Clinton amendment.

"The defeat of this amendment defies common sense and shows what certain senators will do to placate their hard-line anti-choice groups," Keenan said. "These Senators will be held accountable for voting against equal insurance coverage for birth control that would make sure insurance plans that cover Viagra also cover women’s birth control. They will be held accountable for blocking funding to raise awareness of emergency contraceptive services for women whose primary contraception fails. They will he held accountable for failing this test to show how both sides can work together to achieve a goal that the vast majority of Americans support."

Key Facts on the Reid-Clinton Amendment

The Reid-Clinton amendment would have dedicated $100 million in the budget toward four efforts to help women take personal responsibility for preventing unintended pregnancies.

(1) Guaranteeing Equal Insurance Coverage for Birth Control: This section is modeled on the Equity in Prescription Insurance and Contraceptive Coverage Act from the 108th Congress. Health-insurance plans that cover prescription drugs should cover prescription contraception equally. The Reid-Clinton Prevention Amendment sets aside funds to pay initial costs in achieving contraceptive equity. If insurance plans cove, Viagra, they should cover women's birth control.

(2) Expanding Family Planning Services: The Title X ("ten") program helps low-income women afford birth-control services, but President Bush has starved its funding. The Reid-Clinton Prevention Amendment adds funds to the program so it can serve more people, prevent more unintended pregnancies, and reduce the need for abortion. (Note: Title X does not cover abortion-related services.)

(3) Enhancing Teen-pregnancy prevention programs: The U.S. has one of the developed world's highest teen-pregnancy rates. President Bush's solution is to censor information from young people about birth control and condoms through "abstinence-only" programs. Sens. Reid and Clinton want to give young people the accurate information and services they need to abstain AND to know how to protect themselves against disease and unintended pregnancy. This amendment funds new teen pregnancy-prevention programs across the country.

(4) Increasing Awareness of Emergency Contraception: The "morning-after pill" can prevent pregnancy after sex, but too few women and doctors know about it. Also known as emergency contraception, the "morning-after pill" is NOT the same as mifepristone, or RU 486. It is simply a concentrated dose of the birth-control pill, taken after sex. The Reid-Clinton Prevention Amendment funds a public-education campaign to boost public awareness of this best-kept secret in birth control.

(Note: The Prevention Amendment also earmarks another $100 million for deficit reduction.)

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