[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 60 (Tuesday, May 4, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Page S4828]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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              NATIONAL DAY TO PREVENT TEEN PREGNANCY 2004

 Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I am proud to recognize today as 
the National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy and want to thank the 
National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy for sponsoring it. The 
campaign is a non-profit, non-partisan organization whose mission is to 
improve the well-being of children and families by reducing teen 
pregnancy.
  Nearly 900,000 American teenagers become pregnant each year, and over 
10 percent of all births in the United States are to teenage mothers. 
While teen pregnancy, abortion, and birth rates are all going down, the 
U.S. still has the highest rate of teen pregnancy in the industrialized 
world. Almost 35 percent of girls become pregnant at least once before 
age 20.
  Many activities are happening across the country in recognition of 
the National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. In my home State of 
California, Pinch Me Films of Berkeley is organizing events to promote 
open dialogue between young people, parents and educators. In addition, 
the California Health Collaborative, Merced Rural Teen Pregnancy 
Prevention is hosting a health fair for youth, and the Children's 
Hospital of Los Angeles--with over 6,000 employees--will have an 
article about National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month in its employee 
newsletter, highlighting tips for parents to discuss pregnancy 
prevention.
  On November 25, 2003, I introduced S. 1956, The HOPE Youth Pregnancy 
Prevention Act to address this problem. Specifically my bill would 
provide additional resources to States, localities, and nongovernmental 
organizations for teenage pregnancy prevention activities targeted to 
ethnic minorities and at-risk youth. Fifty-one percent of Latina girls 
become pregnant at least once by age 20. Fifty-seven percent of black 
girls become pregnant at least once by age 20. I urge my colleagues to 
co-sponsor this legislation.
  I urge my colleagues to support activities that are taking place 
nationally and in their own States to reduce teenage pregnancy.

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