BILL REQ. #:  S-3923.1 

Read first time .   Referred to .

     TO THE HONORABLE GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:
     We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:
     WHEREAS, Each year more than five hundred twenty-nine thousand women die from complications of pregnancy and childbirth and fifty million women suffer from some adverse health consequence as a result of childbirth; and
     WHEREAS, Roughly two hundred one million women in low-income countries would use safe, effective contraception methods if they were available; and
     WHEREAS, More than forty-two million people are infected with HIV/AIDS today, with fourteen thousand new infections every day, half of which are women; and
     WHEREAS, An estimated eighty-two million girls currently living in low-income countries will be married before their eighteenth birthdays; and
     WHEREAS, An estimated one hundred thirty million girls and women have undergone female genital cutting; and
     WHEREAS, As many as one in every three women in the world has been beaten, coerced into sex, or abused in some other way; and
     WHEREAS, The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is the largest source of international assistance for women's health care -- including family planning, maternal health, and HIV prevention -- in more than one hundred forty countries around the world; and
     WHEREAS, UNFPA is a leader in international efforts to promote the rights of women through education and the prevention of gender-based violence; and
     WHEREAS, UNFPA is a leader in providing humanitarian assistance for the particular needs of women in disaster and postconflict situations; and
     WHEREAS, The United States helped found UNFPA and has historically been its leading supporter; and
     WHEREAS, The United States Congress approved one hundred twenty-seven million dollars in fiscal years 2002-2005 for UNFPA, but these funds have been withheld by the Bush Administration; and
     WHEREAS, The United States decision to withhold critical funds from UNFPA is depriving women of vital health services and programs that help them move beyond the traditional roles assigned to them that they may not want, so that they can more fully participate in society;
     NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the United States government renew funding for UNFPA to promote the health and rights of women around the world.
     BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable George W. Bush, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.