Rep. Pitts urges parental rights for Title X

“Parents have a right to know if their child getting prescription drugs”

Washington—Congressman Joe Pitts (R, PA-16) said today that parents have a right to know if their children are receiving birth control drugs or devices from government-funded clinics.  Presently, Title X clinics are prohibited by law from informing parents if their children are receiving birth control, even if the child in question is twelve or 13 years old.

“This is an outrage,” said Congressman Pitts.  “Parents have a right to know if their child is getting birth control or any other prescription drugs.  Parents have the right and the duty to help protect their children.  Right now, the federal government is depriving them of that right.”

The Health Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee heard testimony today from a witness who said his 13 year-old daughter was raped over a period of 18 months by a teacher who repeatedly brought the girl to a Title X clinic for birth control.  The clinic, following the law, never informed the witness that his daughter was receiving birth control.  The teacher was later arrested for statutory rape after his crime was detected by other means.

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