Brooklyn Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez (D-NY) plans to introduce legislation this week aimed at curbing teenage pregnancy in New York City.
While teen pregnancy has declined around the country over the last decade, New York City still has one of the rates in the nation.
"The percentage of teenage pregnancy is so high and dramatically increasing," says Velazquez.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 10 percent of New York City girls between ages 15 and 19 got pregnant in 2005. The statistics also show rates are higher in low-income minority communities.
Velazquez's proposal would fund mentoring programs in the city's public high schools to help teen girls make informed choices about sexual behavior. In order to attract mentors to the program, Velazquez's plan would offer potential volunteers student loan forgiveness.