Bush Pushes for Abstinence Education, $131 Million Spent By Congress

Although a national evaluation of the competence of abstinence programs has been delayed until 2006, President Bush's second term ensures that federal money will be put into abstinence education in schools. The abstinence programs Bush supports will rule out discussion of birth control, even though, according to an Associated Press article, "the administration awaits evidence that the approach gets kids to refrain from sex."

In a $388 billion spending bill, last weekend Congress included over $131 million for abstinence programs, which is an increase of $30 million but about $100 million less than Bush requested.