NOTE: A number of lawmakers are interested in reducing teen pregnancy and have introduced various bills to address the issue. To see a complete list of legislation introduced by this Congress from the official filing, go to Thomas.
Please use terms such as “teen pregnancy,” “adolescent pregnancy,” and “teenage pregnancy.” Please note that The National Campaign does not necessarily endorse these bills -- we are simply providing information about this resource as a service to visitors to our website.
109th Congress
(January 2005 - December 2006)
108th Congress
(January 2003 - December 2004)
107th Congress
(January 2001 - December 2002)
106th Congress
(January 1999 - December 2000)
109th Congress: January 2005 - December 2006
108th Congress: January 2003 - December 2004
- H.R. 4
"The Personal Responsibility, Work, and Family Promotion Act of 2003"
On February 12, 2003, the House passed HR 4, the Personal Responsibility, Work, and Family Promotion Act of 2003, on a nearly party line vote of 230-192. The bill is virtually identical to HR 4737, passed in 2002. The provisions relating to teen pregnancy prevention remained similar to those passed in 2002, with two changes to the abstinence-only provisions: reallocation of funds that states have not applied for and a new plan requirement for states seeking abstinence education funds. Two democratic substitutes were offered but defeated. Among other things, they would have included teen pregnancy prevention as one of three uses of healthy marriage funds and amended abstinence-only education. - S. 5
"Compassion and Personal Responsibility Act"
On February 14, 2003, Sen. Talent (R-MO) and other Republicans introduced Senate 5, the “Compassion and Personal Responsibility Act.” The bill is generally similar to HR 4 and the provisions for teen pregnancy prevention are the same.
- S. 657
"Strengthening Families Act of 2003"
On March 19, 2003, Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN) and co-sponsor Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT) introduced the “Strengthening Families Act of 2003,” S. 657, to provide resources to promote responsible fatherhood and encourage teen pregnancy prevention. Teen pregnancy prevention provisions include: funding for a national resource center, grants for effective teen pregnancy prevention programs, and setting a national goal to reduce teen pregnancy.
- House Rpt. 108-188
The House passed the Departments of Labor, HHS, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, 2004, on July 10, 2003. This bill includes report language for the 21st Century Community Learning Center that makes the connection between afterschool programs and preventing teen pregnancy. See page 138 of the document.
- S. 1442
"Building on Welfare Success Act of 2003"
On July 22, 2003, Senator Carper (D-DE), along with co-sponsors Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), introduced S. 1443, the “Building on Welfare Success Act of 2003.” This bill is a comprehensive welfare reform bill that includes a number of provisions pertaining to teen pregnancy prevention including: a goal of reducing teen pregnancy rates by one-third over a ten-year period, formula and incentive grants for states and tribes for effective teen pregnancy prevention programs, and funding for a teen pregnancy prevention resource center and media campaign (these provisions are similar to those in S. 657). This bill also includes funding for the promotion of healthy marriage and responsible fatherhood, and teen pregnancy prevention is an allowable use for these funds.
- On September 10, 2003, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing to consider a substitute to H.R. 4., the “Family Opportunity Act of 2003.” The provisions in this bill that were relevant to teen pregnancy prevention were similar to those included in H.R. 4, including extending the funds for abstinence-only, and $100 million per year in federal funds for marriage promotion grants and up to a $100 million a year for research and demonstration grants, 80% of which must be spent on marriage promotion activities. Read the legislative language reported out by the Senate Finance Committee. Review the Modified Chairman's Mark, which summarizes the provisions.
-
2003 Senate & House Resolutions in Support of Teen Pregnancy Prevention and the National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy
Senate Resolution 2003 (S. Con. Res. 18)
House Resolution 2003 (H. Con. Res. 91)
107th Congress: January 2001 - December 2002
- The Senate Finance Committee approved welfare reform reauthorization legislation on 6/26/02 on a 13-8 vote that included four very positive provisions related to teen pregnancy prevention. Text (PDF). The bill starts on page 141.
- S. 2524
"Work And Family Act of 2002"
Senators Bayh, Carper and other centrist Democrats proposed a welfare reform bill with a very strong teen pregnancy prevention component that includes funding for a national resource center, grants for effective teen pregnancy prevention programs, and setting a national goal to reduce teen pregnancy by 25% over the next 10 years.
- Tripartisan Consensus Provisions on Welfare Reauthorization
A tripartisan group of Senate Finance Committee members announced a welfare
reform proposal that includes teen pregnancy prevention as an essential element in promoting healthy marriages and an eligible activity for family formation and health marriage funding. Summary (PDF). Letter to Chairman (PDF).
- S. 2052
"Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act Amendments of 2002"
Senator Rockefeller (D-WV) proposed a welfare reform bill that includes a family formation fund that would specifically support teen pregnancy prevention.
- H.R. 4737
"Personal Responsibility, Work, and Family Promotion Act of 2002"
This welfare reform bill incorporates most of President Bush's proposals and was passed in the House on May 16, 2002. It calls for $300 million a year to fund programs that will encourage and promote healthy marriages, continues abstinence education grants to states, and requires states to outline their strategies for reducing teen pregnancy in their welfare reform plans.
- Amendment to HR 4700 (in the nature of a substitute)
"Next Step in Reforming Welfare Act"
(Defeated in the House on 5/16/02)
This Democratic substitute was defeated in the House on May 16, 2002. It included a family formation fund that specifically included teen pregnancy prevention as one of its three uses and revised the abstinence education in a number of ways.
106th Congress: January 1999 - December 2000
- H.R. 3581 (PDF)
Representative Jane Harman (D-CA) along with Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) introduced H.R. 3581, legislation to fund competitive grants for public and private groups to establish or expand effective teen pregnancy prevention programs. For the most up-to-date language, look up H.R. 3581 at http://thomas.loc.gov.
- H.R. 3469 (PDF)
"Family Life Education Act"
Representatives Lee, Greenwood, and Woolsey introduced this bill to fund grants for Family Life Education. For the most up-to-date language of the bill, look up H.R. 3469 at http://thomas.loc.gov.