[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 143 (Sunday, October 11, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2051]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    WORLD POPULATION AWARENESS WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. CONSTANCE A. MORELLA

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 9, 1998

  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, in my capacity as Co-Chair of the 
Congressional Coalition on Population and Development, and on behalf of 
my fellow Co-Chair, Congressman Sawyer, I would like to share with our 
colleagues the following proclamation, endorsed by 19 of our 
colleagues, regarding World Population Awareness Week:

                    World Population Awareness Week

       World population stands today at more than 5.9 billion and 
     increases by more than 80 million per year, with virtually 
     all of this growth in the least developed countries.
       A total of 1.3 billion people--more than the combined 
     population of Europe and North Africa--live in absolute 
     poverty on the equivalent of one U.S. dollar or less a day; 
     1.5 billion people--nearly one-quarter of the world's 
     population--lack an adequate supply of clean drinking water 
     or sanitation; more than 840 million people--one-fifth of the 
     entire population of the developing world--are hungry or 
     malnourished.
       Demographic studies and surveys indicate that in the 
     developing world there are at least 120 million married 
     women--and a large but undefined number of unmarried women--
     who want more control over their ferility but lack access to 
     family planning. This unmet need for family planning is 
     projected to result in 1.2 billion unintended births.
       The 1994 International Conference on Population and 
     Development in Cairo determined that a combination of 
     political commitment and appropriate programs designed to 
     provide universal access to voluntary family planning 
     information, education and services can ensure world 
     population stabilization at 8 billion or less rather than 12 
     billion or more.
       We, the following members of the United States House of 
     Representatives are pleased to support the week of October 
     24-31, 1998 as World Population Awareness Week, and urge all 
     citizens to take cognizance of this event and to participate 
     appropriately in its observation.
         Constance A. Morella, Thomas C. Sawyer, Brad Sherman, Sam 
           Gejdenson, Karen McCarthy, Lloyd Doggett, James P. 
           McGovern, Elizabeth Furse, Maurice D. Hinchey, John 
           Lewis, George E. Brown, Jr., Marcy Kaptur, Jim 
           McDermott, Martin Frost, David E. Price, Benjamin A. 
           Gilman, Nita M. Lowey, Carolyn B. Maloney, Tom Lantos.

           

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