[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 34 (Wednesday, March 13, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E336]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             TEEN PREGNANCY

                                 ______


                          HON. ROSA L. DeLAURO

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 12, 1996

  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the President's 
National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy.
  The mission of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy is to 
reduce teen pregnancy by promoting values and stimulating actions that 
are consistent with a pregnancy-free adolescence. This is a mission 
that everyone can support. Furthermore, the campaign establishes the 
goal of reducing the national teenage pregnancy rate by one-third by 
the year 2005.
  I wholeheartedly support the methods and targets set by the 
President's campaign. If we are to stop the cycle of children having 
babies in this country we must make the President's goal a reality. The 
success of this campaign is imperative to the healthy development of 
young girls and children throughout the Nation.
  As poverty is a strong predictor for teen pregnancy, teen pregnancy 
is a near certain predictor of poverty. In my home State of 
Connecticut, the Department of Public Health Records reported 3,757 
teen births in 1993. In New Haven, the biggest city in my district, 
there were 354 teen births reported that year. These figures do not 
account for all the teen pregnancies in a given year, but they do 
indicate the enormity of the problem and the need for immediate action.
  We must instill in our children the importance of making responsible 
choices in life. Clearly, bringing a baby into the world without the 
emotional maturity and financial resources to raise a healthy child is 
not in the best interest of either the parents or the newborn. 
Discussing the value of personal responsibility and providing 
information to children on this issue are tools that will work to 
prevent teen mothers and fathers. The President's campaign expands the 
scope and reach of this dialogue through the media, schools, and civic 
activities.
  I am a proud supporter of the National Campaign to Reduce Teen 
Pregnancy. Through education and communication the campaign will be an 
effective tool to assist young women and young men with the dilemma of 
teen pregnancy.

                          ____________________