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From the Archives of Our Bodies, Our Blog

Another Appalling Family Planning Appointee

By Rachel Walden • October 17, 2007

Please note: This entry -- originally posted at Our Bodies, Our Blog -- has not been updated since the publication date listed above.

On Monday, President Bush appointed Dr. Susan Orr as Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Population Affairs (a Health and Human Services Agency), placing Orr in charge of the nation's family planning activities under Title X. In the past, Orr has applauded efforts to exclude birth control from health coverage for federal employees, stating that "fertility is not a disease," and encouraged efforts to withdraw approval of RU-486.

Orr previously worked as an associate commissioner in the Administration for Children and Families, as well as for the anti-contraception and anti-reproductive rights Family Research Council.

This is the position previously held by Eric Keroack, another widely criticized appointment.

Additional coverage:

3 Responses

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Steph Sterling, National Women's Law Center on

We'll be watching this appointment closely over the next several days. The Title X program is too important to millions of low-income women to let this go by without comment.

JoshuasGrandma on

Yet another example of Bush putting the fox in the hen house.
Perhaps a strategy for attacking this one is her obvious lack of support for prevention and the danger to maternal health of someone who takes action against prevention efforts, particularly in face of the terrible maternal mortality rates in the US.

Steph Sterling, National Women's Law Center on

We'll be watching this appointment closely over the next several days. The Title X program is too important to millions of low-income women to let this go by without comment.