NCJW Appalled by Appointment of Eric Keroack to Oversee Family Planning Program

November 20, 2006, Washington, DC -- The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) today called upon Secretary of Health and Human Services Mike Leavitt to withdraw the appointment of Dr. Eric Keroack as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Population Affairs. Dr. Keroack's extreme views run contrary to the goals and mission of the Title X family planning program that he will lead. NCJW President Phyllis Snyder released the following statement:

"It is appalling that the Bush Administration would select Dr. Eric Keroack to run Title X, the nation's family planning program. The Title X program has a proven track record of providing scientifically based family planning information and contraceptive technology to more than five million low-income women annually. In stark contrast, Dr. Keroack has a track record of dispensing inaccurate and deceptive health information as medical director for a Massachusetts nonprofit that runs six so-called crisis pregnancy centers as well as an organization that promotes abstinence-only sex education.

"Dr. Keroack has not only stated his own opposition to contraception, he has demonstrated that his personal religious views about sex outweigh his commitment to science-based decision-making. NCJW believes that this appointment makes clear that contraceptive freedom can no longer be taken for granted, despite the fact that Americans support it in overwhelming numbers. In recent weeks, the President has emphasized the need for cooperation to achieve common goals. This appointment flies in the face of such statements and empowers a minority to use tax dollars to impose a narrow religious and ideological agenda on all of us.

"We call upon the administration to rescind Dr. Keroack's appointment and search for another candidate -- one committed to the mission of the federal family planning program."

NCJW is a volunteer organization, inspired by Jewish values, that works to improve the quality of life for women, children, and families and to ensure individual rights and freedoms for all through its network of 90,000 members, supporters, and volunteers nationwide.

Contact:
Vanessa Schnaidt
212 645 4048 x179; vschnaidt@ncjw.org