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Statement on the Appointment of Dr. Susan Orr
10/16/2007 - By Mary Jane Gallagher, President and CEO, National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association
"We are appalled by the appointment of Dr. Susan Orr as the Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Population Affairs (DASPA). In this position Dr. Orr is responsible for overseeing the only federal funding for family planning services for the poor and uninsured.
While her resume suggests a commitment to child welfare and children, her professional credentials fail to demonstrate a commitment to comprehensive family planning services for all men and women in need.
Prior to joining the Bush Administration, Dr. Orr was the Senior Director for Marriage and Family Care at the Family Research Council, an organization well-known for its efforts to limit access to contraception. Dr. Orr cheered Bushﾒs proposal to remove contraceptive benefits for federal employees. In fact, she told the Washington Post, "We're quite pleased because fertility is not a disease. It's not a medical necessity that you have [contraception]."
Low-income and uninsured men and women, who may not have the resources to use contraception until they are ready and willing to be parents, deserve more. These federal funds help to reduce unintended pregnancy and the need for abortion. Title X of the Public Health Services Act is dedicated to increasing access to contraception, comprehensive sex education, counseling and preventive health screenings.
The men and women who depend on NFPRHA's members, family planning service providers in more than 4,000 health centers across the country, deserve to have Title X administered by someone who agrees that it is important for families to be well-prepared to have children. Unfortunately, much like the appointment of Dr. Eric Keroack in 2006, the Bush Administration has gone out of its way to once again politicize family planning."
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