Congressional Democrats are starting their push to undue some Bush administration policies with a comprehensive bill dealing with reproductive and sexual health issues.

Representative Louise Slaughter is one of three sponsors of the Prevention First Act, chunks of which offer a change from Bush policies dealing with abstinence-only education and emergency contraception.

"If we want to reduce the number of abortions in this country, the methodology is clear - empower women to prevent unintended pregnancies through education and access to contraception," Slaughter said in a press release. "For every dollar spent on family planning services, it is estimated that almost four dollars is saved in public health spending. This comprehensive approach to protecting women's reproductive health will not only decrease the spread of STDs and reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies, but save money."

The bill calls for:

• Equitable coverage of prescription contraceptive drugs and devices.
• Distribution of information on the use, safety, efficacy, and availability of emergency contraception by the secretary of health and human services.
• Hospitals receiving federal funds must provide rape survivors with "medically and factually accurate and unbiased written or oral information" on emergency contraception, including acknowledgement that "emergency contraception does not cause abortion." Emergency contraception must be promptly offered and, if a rape survivor requests it, provided. Under the legislation, a hospital could not refuse to provide emergency contraception because the woman or her family is unable to pay.
• Grants, awarded on a competitive basis by the secretary of health and human services, for public or private agencies to establish or expand teen pregnancy prevention programs. Communities with above-average teen pregnancy and birth rates, programs that benefit underserved communities and programs that tie in with other youth programs will be given priority. Those grant funds "are not intended for use by abstinence-only education programs," says the bill.
• Grants for states to conduct sex ed programs, including programs that stress "the value of abstinence while not ignoring those young people who have had or are having sexual intercourse." The programs will also have to provide information on the benefits and risks of all contraceptive and barrier methods of pregnancy prevention.

The bill is also sponsored by Democratic Representative Diana DeGette and, in the Senate, by Majority Leader Harry Reid.