[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 275 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







107th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 275

Expressing the sense of the Senate that the United States should renew 
   its commitment to the world's mothers and children by increasing 
 funding for basic child survival and maternal health programs of the 
   United States Agency for International Development, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 23, 2002

  Mr. Smith of Oregon (for himself, Mrs. Feinstein, Mrs. Murray, Ms. 
    Landrieu, Mr. Durbin, and Mr. Corzine) submitted the following 
  resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the Senate that the United States should renew 
   its commitment to the world's mothers and children by increasing 
 funding for basic child survival and maternal health programs of the 
   United States Agency for International Development, and for other 
                               purposes.

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 more than 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 a child and his or her mother 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, 
        for instance, in the past 8 years, the United States Agency for 
        International Development child survival programs have significantly 
        contributed to a 10 percent reduction in infant mortality rates 
        worldwide;
Whereas while research has shown that 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 the lack of additional 
        resources to address the problem;
Whereas the world has been able to reduce maternal mortality in the developed 
        world, the disparity between 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, in developed countries the ratio is 1 in 1,800, 
        and the risk is even greater in some sub-Saharan African countries where 
        1 in every 14 girls entering adolescence will die from maternal causes 
        before completing her child-bearing years; and
Whereas according to a 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, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
            (1) child survival and maternal health programs supported 
        by the United States 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 people in the developing world through 
        targeted, effective, and multi-faceted health and development 
        programs; and
            (4) the United States should renew its commitment to the 
        world's mothers and children by increasing funding for basic 
        child survival and maternal health programs of the United 
        States Agency for International Development by at least 
        $500,000,000.
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