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This appointment raises serious concerns, as Dr. Orr previously served asthe Senior Director for Marriage and Family Care at the Family ResearchCouncil (FRC), an organization that has advocated for limited access tocontraception. She currently serves on the board of directors for Teen Choice,a nonprofit organization, which advocates for abstinence in lieu ofcontraception.
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During her time at FRC, Dr. Orr spoke out in support of President George W.Bush's proposed elimination of the contraceptive coverage requirement fromfederal employees' health insurance. In 2001 she said to The Washington Post,"We're quite pleased because fertility is not a disease. It's not a medicalnecessity that you have [contraception]."
This is not the first time that President Bush has made a controversialappointment to this critical public health post. Last year, Bush appointedanti-birth control advocate Dr. Eric Keroack, who had previously managedCrisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs) in Massachusetts, to this position. CPCs aredesigned to discourage pregnant women from seeking abortion care, and in manyinstances they misinform and intimidate women to achieve their goal. Dr.Keroack resigned in March 2007 following public outrage.
"This is just another example of the Bush Administration promotingpolitics over a sound health policy. Dr. Orr should not be entrusted with theoversight of the federal family planning program and the health of millions ofAmericans," said Vicki Saporta, President and CEO of NAF. "For more than 35years, the Title X program has been a hallmark of quality preventive care,enabling practitioners to provide family planning services to low-incomeindividuals."
The National Abortion Federation (NAF) is the professional association ofabortion providers in the United States and Canada. Our mission is to ensuresafe, legal, and accessible abortion care to promote health and justice forwomen. Our members include health care professionals at clinics, doctors'offices, and hospitals, who together care for more than half the women in bothcountries who choose abortion each year. For more information, visit ourwebsite at http://www.prochoice.org.
SOURCE National Abortion Federation
