Susan Orr, Zealous Birth-Control Opponent, Resigns from Bush Administration
On Wednesday, Susan Orr, the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) assistant deputy secretary for population affairs, resigned her position. President Bush named Orr, a right-wing activist with ties to anti-birth-control groups, as acting director of that office in October 2007. Orr’s welcome resignation comes less than a year after she was appointed.
The office of population affairs within HHS oversees the nation’s Title X family-planning program. Orr’s appointment to this office was cruelly ironic. Prior to joining the Bush administration, she was senior director for marriage and family care at the Family Research Council (FRC) – an anti-choice group notorious for its attacks on contraception. While at FRC, Orr made the following comment after Bush proposed cancelling federal employees’ contraceptive coverage: "We're quite pleased because fertility is not a disease. It's not a medical necessity that you have it."
The news of Orr’s resignation comes on the heels of rumors that the Bush administration may be considering new restrictions on the Title X program. Sources from within the administration have informed NARAL that such regulations may include provisions prohibiting Title X family planning providers from counseling patients about abortion care or referring them for any abortion-related services, and/or requiring funding recipients to have physically separate facilities from those of any abortion provider. Such drastic requirements would imperil Title X program grantees from providing key services, and could shut down health centers altogether. NARAL Pro-Choice America and our coalition partners are closing monitoring this situation, and will report any developments that may arise.
Check out Ms. Magazine and Think Progress for further information
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