[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 147 (Thursday, October 15, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S12657]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                    WORLD POPULATION AWARENESS WEEK

 Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I rise on behalf of myself and 
Senator Jeffords to acknowledge and celebrate 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 United States 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 women who want more control over their 
fertility 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 are pleased to support the week of October 24-31, 1998 as World 
Population Awareness Week.

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