[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 160 (Tuesday, October 17, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1960]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




[[Page E 1960]]


            FLORIDA ENDORSES WORLD POPULATION AWARENESS WEEK

                                 ______


                         HON. KAREN L. THURMAN

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 17, 1995

  Mrs. THURMAN. Mr. Speaker, rampant population growth causes or 
exacerbates many of the world's most serious problems. Civil strife, 
hunger, infant mortality, and soil erosion all are affected by 
increased population. The solution to these problems lies in striking a 
more equitable balance between the world's population and resources.
  The first step toward solving any problem is to generate awareness of 
the existence of the problem. This is precisely the reason behind the 
recognition of World Population Awareness Week, October 22-29. I would 
hope that every State will join with my State of Florida in recognizing 
World Population Awareness Week. Population awareness is important not 
only to poor countries of the world that feel the impact of explosive 
demographic growth more directly but also to all countries, because we 
all have a large stake in a peaceful, harmonious world.
  For the benefit of my colleagues, the proclamation of Gov. Lawton 
Chiles follows these remarks.

                     Proclamation--State of Florida

       Whereas, world population is currently 5.7 billion and 
     increasing by nearly 100 million per year, with virtually all 
     of this growth added to the poorest countries and regions--
     those that can least afford to accommodate their current 
     populations, much less such massive infusions of human 
     numbers; and
       Whereas, the annual increment to world population is 
     projected to exceed 86 million through the year 2015, with 
     three billion people--the equivalent of the entire world 
     population as recently as 1960--reaching their reproductive 
     years within the next generation; and
       Whereas, the environmental and economic impacts of this 
     level of growth will almost certainly prevent inhabitants of 
     poorer countries from improving their quality of life and, at 
     the same time, have deleterious repercussions for the 
     standard of living in more affluent regions; and
       Whereas, the 1994 International Conference on Population 
     and Development in Cairo, Egypt crafted a 20-year Program of 
     Action for achieving a more equitable balance between the 
     world's population, environment and resources that was duly 
     approved by 180 nations, including the United States;
       Now, Therefore, I, Lawton Chiles, by virtue of the 
     authority vested in me as Governor of the State of Florida, 
     do hereby proclaim October 22-29, 1995, as ``World Population 
     Awareness Week'' in Florida and urge all residents to support 
     the purpose and the spirit of the Cairo Program of Action, 
     and call upon all governments and private organizations to do 
     their utmost to implement that document, particularly the 
     goals and objectives therein aimed at providing universal 
     access to family planning formation, education and services, 
     as well as the elimination of poverty, illiteracy, 
     unemployment, social disintegration and gender discrimination 
     that have been reinforced by the 1995 United Nations 
     International Conference on Social Development, endorsed by 
     118 world leaders in 1995, and by the 1995 United Nations 
     Fourth World Conference on Women.

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