[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 849 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 849

 Congratulating Wangari Maathai for winning the Nobel Peace Prize and 
      commending her for her tireless work to promote sustainable 
      development, democracy, peace, and women's rights in Africa.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 8, 2004

Mr. Meeks of New York (for himself, Mr. Allen, Mr. Kucinich, Mr. Honda, 
  Mrs. Jones of Ohio, Ms. Slaughter, Mr. Blumenauer, Ms. McCarthy of 
 Missouri, Mr. McDermott, Mr. Markey, Mr. Farr, and Ms. Lee) submitted 
   the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                        International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Congratulating Wangari Maathai for winning the Nobel Peace Prize and 
      commending her for her tireless work to promote sustainable 
      development, democracy, peace, and women's rights in Africa.

Whereas on October 8, 2004, the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the Nobel 
        Peace Prize to Wangari Maathai for her contribution to ``sustainable 
        development, democracy, and peace'';
Whereas Wangari Maathai was born in Kenya in 1940 and became the first woman to 
        earn a doctoral degree in East or Central Africa;
Whereas she served as an associate professor of veterinary anatomy and as the 
        chair of the Department of Veterinary Anatomy at the University of 
        Nairobi and was the first woman in the region to hold any such position;
Whereas while she was the head of the National Council of Women of Kenya in the 
        late 1970s, Maathai became aware that Kenyan women were experiencing a 
        shortage of firewood and were unable to feed their children, which 
        inspired her to create the Green Belt Movement;
Whereas the Green Belt Movement focused on planting trees to increase the wood 
        available for fuel, preserving Kenya's forests, and promoting women's 
        rights;
Whereas in the late 1980s, the Green Belt Movement established a Pan-African 
        Green Belt Network, expanding the movement across the African continent;
Whereas Maathai has said that ``the environment is very important in the aspects 
        of peace because when we destroy our resources and our resources become 
        scarce, we fight over that'';
Whereas in 1987, Maathai formed the Green Party and ran as its candidate for 
        President of Kenya in 1997;
Whereas in the late 1990s, she became Kenya's coordinator for the Jubilee 2000 
        Coalition, which seeks debt cancellation for Africa;
Whereas in 2002, Maathai was elected to parliament by an overwhelming majority 
        and was appointed Assistant Minister for Environment, Natural Resources, 
        and Wildlife in Kenya's 9th Parliament;
Whereas Maathai is the first African woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 
        since its creation in 1901; and
Whereas Maathai has dedicated her life to the promotion of peace, democracy, and 
        human rights: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) congratulates Wangari Maathai for winning the 2004 
        Nobel Peace Prize; and
            (2) commends her for her tireless work for sustainable 
        development, democracy, peace and women's rights in Africa.
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