Feldman: In a world where a new case of HIV is contracted every 7 seconds, and a woman dies from a pregnancy-related complication every minute, we cannot afford to deprive families of life-saving resources.
Contact: Elissa Froman or Sean Thibault
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Washington DC | June 26, 2007 – In response to the House of Representatives’ passage of the FY ’08 Foreign Operations appropriations bill including provisions lifting the harmful and longstanding ban on funding for international family planning groups, Rabbi Marla Feldman, Director of the Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism, under which the Religious Action Center operates, issued the following statement:
We are pleased that the House of Representatives took the courageous and long-overdue step of ending the ban on supporting overseas organizations that do life-saving family planning work. By including the “Contraceptives and Condoms Exemption” from the Global Gag Rule and the “Abstinence-Until-Marriage” earmark waiver in the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), Congress will help save and improve the quality of life of millions of women around the globe.
Jewish tradition teaches that if a person saves one life, it is as if they have saved the world. In a world where a new case of HIV is contracted every 7 seconds, and a woman dies from a pregnancy-related complication every minute, we cannot afford to deprive families of life-saving resources.
Women and families deserve every opportunity to prevent disease, obtain the best health care services available, and make the most of the opportunities in life. This bill helps make those goals achievable and we call on the Senate to pass this legislation and the President to sign it.
