[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 404 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 404

Expressing the sense of Congress regarding increasing the United States 
     commitment to the health of the world's mothers and children.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 14, 2002

 Ms. Slaughter (for herself and Mrs. Morella) submitted the following 
     concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                        International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of Congress regarding increasing the United States 
     commitment to the health of the world's mothers and children.

    
Whereas 10 years ago at the World Summit for Children, the United States joined 
        with 159 other governments to commit the world to supporting efforts 
        that reduce infant and maternal mortality, child malnutrition, and 
        illiteracy;
Whereas nearly 11,000,000 children die before the age of 5--30,500 children 
        every day--due to preventable infectious diseases, including pneumonia, 
        diarrhea, measles, malaria, and malnutrition;
Whereas more than a quarter of the world's children are malnourished, which 
        hinders their ability to learn and thrive;
Whereas over 500,000 women who die every year during pregnancy and childbirth 
        could be saved by low-tech, low-cost interventions;
Whereas research has found that the health of children and their mothers is 
        closely intertwined and good maternal health is essential for the 
        survival of both mothers and children;
Whereas studies have shown that high maternal and child mortality are directly 
        correlated with social and political instability;
Whereas the number of women of reproductive age in less developed countries will 
        grow by 34 percent in the next 20 years, making the need to improve 
        health care services for women and their children even more important;
Whereas past evidence has shown that programs to improve child survival do work, 
        and that in the past decade, child survival programs of the United 
        States Agency for International Development have significantly 
        contributed to a 10-percent reduction in infant mortality rates 
        worldwide;
Whereas research has shown that although the majority of maternal deaths during 
        pregnancy and childbirth could be easily prevented, the number of women 
        who die as mothers has not decreased in 10 years due to inadequate 
        resources to address the problem;
Whereas although the world has been able to reduce maternal mortality in the 
        developed world, the disparity in such mortality between the developed 
        and developing countries continues to grow;
Whereas according to the World Health Organization, the lifetime risk of dying 
        from pregnancy-related complications or during childbirth in developing 
        countries is 1 in 48 and in developed countries it is 1 in 1,800;
Whereas in some sub-Saharan African countries, the risk jumps still further: 1 
        in every 14 girls entering adolescence will die from maternal causes 
        before completing her childbearing years; and
Whereas according to the World Health Organization report, between 
        $27,000,000,000 and $38,000,000,000 will be needed in 2007 and 2015, 
        respectively, to provide the necessary health interventions to those 
        living in low-income countries: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) child survival and maternal health programs supported 
        by the United States, particularly through the Agency for 
        International Development, have and will make a difference in 
        the lives of mothers and children in the developing world;
            (2) an increased commitment to improving the health of the 
        world's mothers and children will have a long-term impact on 
        the political, economic, and social stability of developing 
        countries;
            (3) the United States should take a lead in improving the 
        lives of millions of mothers and children in the developing 
        world through targeted, effective, and multifaceted health and 
        development programs; and
            (4) the United States should increase its commitment to the 
        world's mothers and children by increasing funding for basic 
        child survival and maternal health programs by at least 
        $500,000,000.
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