Seven members of the House and 19 senators have urged Health and Human Services secretary Mike Leavitt to withdraw the appointment of birth control opponent Susan Orr to head the HHS office that funds family planning clinics. Each group sent a letter to the secretary, with the House letter calling Orr’s appointment “yet another misguided decision by an administration that is intent on undermining women’s health.”
The Senators’ letter points out that Orr “publicly urged President Bush to overrule scientists and doctors to revoke FDA-approval of RU486,” and highlights her “troubling history of opposing federal finding for contraception.”
Sen. Hillary Clinton said of the naming of Orr as acting head of the Office of Population Affairs, which does not require Congressional approval: “It’s beyond satire to see what this administration has once again done,” reports the Associated Press. “It’s the fox guarding the henhouse when it comes to family planning.”
