League of Young Voters Fight Abstinence Only in HCR Bill

In a statement from the League of Young Voters, the organization has continued its commitment to speaking for young people by standing up against the $50 million that has been put into the health care legislation.

"As the battle for health care reform heats up in Congress, The League of Young Voters is stepping up to make sure that young voters are being heard. On Wednesday, October 7th, The League of Young Voters is launching a virtual PSA called "The Marshmallow Test: Teenagers" that aims to educate viewers about the dangers of the abstinence-only provisions in the heath care bill. The video is a parody of the extremely hilarious video "The Marshmallow Test."

The abstinence-only provisions, a continuation of George Bush's bad sex ed policy, were recently added to the health care reform bill currently being debated in Congress. Sen. Orin Hatch (R-UT) introduced an amendment that passed on a 12-11 vote in the Senate Finance Committee that would provide $50 Million for these programs. The League of Young Voters believes that these provisions would continue to prevent young people from making informed and healthy decisions.

"While it's extremely important, the public option isn't the only thing that's at stake in health care reform debate," said the League of Young Voters' Charlotte Chinana. "These abstinence provisions will have a tremendously negative impact on young people. Research shows that programs like this don't help young people live healthier and safer lives."

According to the Center for Disease Control, the League's target constituency, non-college youth, especially need to be educated about the importance of safe sex. African American and Hispanic youth are disproportionately affected by the HIV and AIDS pandemic. Although only 17 percent of the adolescent population in the United States is African American, these teens experienced 69 percent of new AIDS cases among teens in 2006. Latinos ages 20 – 24 experienced 23 percent of new AIDS cases in 2006 but represented only 18 percent of U.S. young adults.

The "The Marshmallow Test: Teenagers" was directed by the League's Sean Gardner and features acting from the organization's young staff and volunteers. You can watch the hilarious video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bm-UeSzD3L8

To learn more about the League of Young Voters' efforts to engage young voters in the health care reform debate please contact: Charlotte Chinana at media@theleague.com or by calling (347) 464-VOTE (8683).
The League of Young Voters