[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 30 (Thursday, March 8, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H811-H812]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY AND THE UNITED NATIONS POPULATION FUND ACT OF 
                                  2001

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Pence). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay special 
tribute to women around the world for being honored on International 
Women's Day. International Women's Day, today, recognizes the 
achievements and successes of women around the world. It is also a day 
on which we work to advance the status of women everywhere. This is why 
I, along with my colleagues, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kirk); 
the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley); and the gentleman from Iowa 
(Mr. Leach), and over 60 original cosponsors, we are announcing that we 
will introduce our bill, the United Nations of 2001 on this important 
day.
  This bill will help save the lives of millions of women and children 
around the world and will work to bring equality to all people by 
restoring funding for UNFPA. Equal rights and equality for all people 
is crucial, whether they live in sub-Saharan Africa or Southeast Asia 
or the United States.
  Over the last 20 years, we have seen a commitment from countries 
around the world to honor women's rights, and women's voices are 
finally beginning to be heard. However, this success and the many 
others we have had is overshadowed by the millions of women around the 
world who do not even have the most basic rights. There are more than 
600,000 women who are dying each year because of complications from 
pregnancy and childbirth. The inequality of girls and women around the 
world is real, but there are very real steps we can take to work 
together toward equality. Over 182 nations support funding for UNFPA, 
and the United States should likewise support it.
  We know that UNFPA works, that it saves lives. Each day we in 
Congress are confronted by many challenges for which we do not have 
answers: the answer to global warming, to the AIDS crisis, to 
Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. But we know what to do to save the lives 
of women around the world, and that is to fund international family 
planning through the United Nations Population Fund.

[[Page H812]]

  UNFPA has been and continues to be a leader in the renewed commitment 
of the world community to stabilize global population and improve the 
status of women. UNFPA is the world's largest internationally funded 
provider of family planning and reproductive health services. UNFPA 
serves women, children, and families in 160 developing countries around 
the world where health care structures are fragile and unable to 
address the specific health needs of mothers and children.
  By funding UNFPA this year, in 1 year alone, 870,000 women will not 
be deprived of effective contraceptives; more than 520,000 women will 
be provided with health care support; and there will not be 500,000 
unwanted pregnancies. There will not be 1,200 additional maternal 
deaths, 22,000 additional infant deaths, and 15,000 additional life-
threatening illnesses and injuries to mothers during pregnancy and 
childbirth.
  So, on this day, March 8, International Women's Day, I am proud to 
introduce this bill, which will help bring equality to women everywhere 
and certainly help save lives.

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