Three House Republicans and 107 House Democrats on Wednesday sent a letter to President Bush calling for Eric Keroack to be removed from his new position as deputy assistant secretary of HHS' Office of Population Affairs, Reuters reports (Sullivan, Reuters UK, 12/20). Keroack before the appointment was medical director for A Woman's Concern, a pregnancy-counseling organization. Many family planning advocates were angered by the appointment -- which does not require Senate confirmation -- noting that A Women's Concern opposes contraception and supports sexual abstinence until marriage. Keroack will advise HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt on issues including reproductive health and adolescent pregnancy, and he will administer $283 million in annual family planning grants that HHS says are "designed to provide access to contraceptive supplies and information to all who want and need them with priority given to low-income persons." Christina Pearson, spokesperson for the Office of Population Affairs and Administration for Children and Families, previously said that Keroack is not opposed to birth control, adding that he prescribed contraceptives as a physician in private practice. In addition, Pearson said that Keroack's work for A Women's Concern accounted for only 20% of his time and involved providing ultrasound examinations to pregnant women (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 11/28). "We believe the appointment of Dr. Keroack is a horrendous mistake for the safety of women's health in the United States," the letter said. Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-N.Y.), who drafted the letter, said in a statement, "We are telling this administration that it needs to get its act together in providing real assistance to low-income families to protect women and children." House Democratic leaders did not sign the letter but said they support it, a Crowley staffer said. According to Leavitt, the administration is not considering dismissing Keroack. "Everything I know about him is he's a very capable person," Leavitt said, adding, "I'm sure he will serve well" (Reuters UK, 12/20).

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