The House Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee on Thursday passed a spending bill that includes increases in funding for HHS' Community-Based Abstinence Education Program, as well as the Title X family planning program, the Washington Times reports.

CBAE, which gives grants to groups that teach abstinence but not how to use contraception, was allocated $141 million for fiscal year 2008 under the measure (Wetzstein, Washington Times, 6/8). The program was allocated $109 million for FY 2007, and President Bush requested $137 million be allocated for FY 2008. According to CQ Today, Democrats hope the increase in funding for CBAE will garner support from Republicans on spending bills.

Bush has said that he will veto spending bills that exceed his budget requests. Some lawmakers said the boost in CBAE funding will increase the chances the legislation could pass by a veto-proof majority, CQ Today reports (Armstrong/Allen, CQ Today, 6/7).

The measure also would allocate $311 million for Title X, an increase of $27.8 million from FY 2007. Some family planning advocates said the allocation is less than historic levels of funding, adjusted for inflation (Washington Times, 6/8). The bill also would leave in place restrictions on federal funding for abortions, the AP/Houston Chronicle reports (Taylor, AP/Houston Chronicle, 6/7).

Reaction
Supporters of comprehensive sex education were disappointed by the increase in CBAE funding, the Times reports. James Wagoner, president of Advocates for Youth, said a federally commissioned study found that abstinence education had no effect on sexual behavior among teenagers, adding that any funding for such programs is a "public slap in the face of public health policy." William Smith, vice president for public policy for the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States, said, "There is no other way to describe this concession but as shameful."

Valerie Huber, executive director of the National Abstinence Education Association, lauded the vote, adding that abstinence education "is a public health message that deserves to be continued."

Poll
In related news, a poll released on Tuesday found that more than 88% of adults in the U.S. agreed that public schools should teach sex education that includes information on abstinence and contraception, according to Celinda Lake -- president of Lake Research Partners, which conducted the poll. The poll, which surveyed 1,011 adults, also found that 80% of adults think that birth control should be dispensed by pharmacists "without discrimination or delay" and should be covered by health insurance, Lake said (Washington Times, 6/8).