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




                  CALLING ATTENTION TO MATERNAL HEALTH

  (Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to add my voice 
in support for keeping women around the world alive by ensuring they 
have access to basic maternal health care services.
  We are blessed to live in a country where women can access prenatal 
and obstetric care, but that's not the case everywhere. In fact, more 
than half a million women die every year of pregnancy-related causes, 
along with nearly 10 million newborns and infants. Most of these deaths 
are preventable and needless.
  All women deserve the right to go through pregnancy and childbirth 
without fear of losing their life. Basic access to maternal health care 
is a human right that must no longer be ignored.
  I want to thank Congresswoman Capps for sponsoring House Resolution 
1022, which recognizes the need for quality health care for moms in the 
U.S. as well as around the world.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to honor mothers by investing in 
the necessary health care to keep them healthy and alive.

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