[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 160 (Tuesday, October 17, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S15259]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    WORLD POPULATION AWARENESS WEEK

 Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, next week, October 22, 1995, 
through October 28, 1995, has been declared as World Population 
Awareness Week. Over a decade ago, the United Nations estimated that by 
the end of this century there would be 65 countries unable to either 
grow sufficient food to enable their inhabitants to meet minimum 
nutrition levels or purchase beyond their borders sufficient food to 
reach these standards.
  Recently, the World Food Program reported that there are already 88 
low-income, food-deficit countries. With a full 4 years remaining in 
this century, the dire prediction made back in the mid-1980's already 
has exceeded by 23 countries.
  Although a complete solution to the world hunger problem involves 
action on many, many fronts, I believe that part of the solution is to 
reduce global population growth. I do this with special pride over my 
own family's historic role in raising public awareness of population 
issues and their effect on the world's human condition and stability.
  Last year the International Conference on Population and Development 
was held in Cairo to create a strategy for voluntarily reducing world 
population. The implementation of that strategy is the theme of World 
Population Awareness Week. I am proud to join Gov. Gaston Caperton of 
West Virginia and my fellow West Virginians in observing this week as a 
time to express the importance of addressing population trends. I ask 
that the text of the West Virginia Proclamation be printed in the 
Record designating October 22-28 as World Population Week.
  The text follows:

                  Proclamation by Gov. Gaston Caperton

       Whereas, the developing world is plagued by alarmingly high 
     rates of maternal and infant mortality, environmental 
     degradation, malnutrition and unemployment; and,
       Whereas, without a reduction of population growth rates, 
     the world's population will be subject to unprecedented 
     economic and social hardship, hunger and political strife; 
     and,
       Whereas, world population is currently 5.7 billion and 
     increasing by nearly 100 million per year, with virtually all 
     of the growth added to the poorest countries and regions--
     those that can least afford to accommodate their current 
     populations, much less 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, environmental and economic problems caused by 
     overpopulation will affect all nations of the world, 
     including the United States;
       Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved that I, Gaston Caperton, 
     Governor of the State of West Virginia, do hereby proclaim 
     October 22, 1995 through October 28, 1995 as: ``World 
     Population Awareness Week'' in West Virginia and encourage 
     all citizens to understand the importance of educating 
     ourselves in order to help curb these trends and help 
     eliminate poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, social 
     disintegration and gender discrimination.

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