[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 9047]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       IMPROVING MATERNAL HEALTH

  (Mrs. CAPPS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, this past weekend we celebrated Mother's 
Day. I was fortunate enough to celebrate with my children and 
grandchildren. Sadly, many women never get the chance to celebrate this 
day with their family.
  Throughout the world, a woman dies every single minute in childbirth. 
I think most of our congressional colleagues would be shocked to learn 
that this problem isn't faced by women in developing nations alone. The 
United States ranks 41st in the world, lower than all other 
industrialized nations, when it comes to maternal mortality. Let us use 
this opportunity, while Mother's Day is fresh in our minds, to renew 
our commitment to improving maternal health both at home and abroad.
  I thank the 117 of our colleagues in the House of Representatives for 
cosponsoring House Resolution 1022, a resolution underscoring our 
challenges and urging us all to support the goal of a safe and healthy 
childbirth for every mother and baby here in the United States and all 
around the world.

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