[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 199 (Thursday, December 14, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2365]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     UNICEF: 49 YEARS AND COUNTING

                                 ______


                         HON. THOMAS M. BARRETT

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 14, 1995

  Mr. BARRETT of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, for those of us lucky enough 
to grow up in an environment free of civil war and famine, it can be 
difficult to imagine the hardships that confront millions of children 
every day in places like Bosnia and Rwanda. At least 40 conflicts are 
currently raging throughout the world, and as a result, approximately 
1.5 million children have been killed, more than 4 million disabled, 5 
million forced into refugee camps, and 12 million rendered homeless.
  The United Nations Children's Fund [UNICEF], a special program of the 
United Nations established on December 11, 1946, is dedicated to the 
health and welfare of children, who represent the future of our world. 
UNICEF's annual report on the State of the World's Children, released 
this week, highlights its success in combating disease, hunger, and 
death among the world's children.
  UNICEF's immunization, sanitation, and nutrition programs have helped 
reduce child mortality rates by 50 percent in the last 30 years. Every 
year, UNICEF provides oral vaccines and other medicines that save the 
lives of 3 million children. In 1994, UNICEF's close cooperation with 
various international food programs helped feed 57 million hungry 
people.
  Given the tight budgetary constraints presently facing the United 
States, we need to use our limited resources wisely. I believe that our 
interests include UNICEF programs benefitting millions of children in 
developing nations. I am pleased that this year's Foreign Aid 
appropriations bill would create the Child and Disease Program's Fund, 
to include such programs as AIDS prevention, nutrition, polio 
eradication, an infectious disease surveillance system, and funding for 
blind children.
  One of the central principles behind the creation of UNICEF is that 
action taken today to prevent disease and malnutrition will save us 
money in future years. An example is the fight to eradicate polio. 
Although there have been no reported cases of polio in the Western 
hemisphere or in Europe for 3 years, experts estimate that funding for 
immunizations must continue for another 5 years to ensure that the 
disease is eliminated. Failure to contribute to this effort could lead 
to a resurgence of polio, and a drastic increase in the cost of 
combating the spread of disease.
  UNICEF will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 1996. We should honor 
the successes of the last 50 years, but we must also prepare for the 
next 50 years. As we work for a better world for our children, UNICEF's 
programs are worthy of our continued support.

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