According to County Health Rankings, in 2019, Butler County had a teenage pregnancy rate of 11 pregnant teens per 1,000 teenage girls, with teen years being defined by this particular site as between the ages of 15 and 19.

Meanwhile, according to Public School Review, the Butler Area School District had a graduation rate of 83 percent in 2017, meaning that 17 percent of students dropped out, which is a decline from the 89 percent graduation rate in 2012, or an increase in the 11 percent dropout rate of 2012.

There is no way to know if, in Butler, these issues are connected. What is known is that around the world, 130 million girls between the ages of 10 and 19 will be forced to drop out of school due to issues such as teen pregnancy, forced marriage, or familial pressure.

This is three times higher than the numbers for boys. This also contributes to the global poverty epidemic.

On Jan, 23, I met with Rep.Mike Kelly in hopes that he would co-sponsor the Keeping Girls in School Act to address this specific issue.

He did on Jan. 24, and on Jan. 28, the Keeping Girls in School Act passed the House of Representatives.

But we must do more. We must demand that Sen. Bob Casey and Sen. Pat Toomey also support The Keeping Girls in School Act as it currently lies in the hands of the Senate. Please join with me in demanding this from those who represent Butler in D.C.