Chris Smith: “I would like to begin by thanking my good friend and colleague Congressman Steve Chabot for his leadership and hard work…”

“I would like to begin by thanking my good friend and colleague Congressman Steve Chabot for his leadership and hard work in shepherding the Girls Count Act as it makes its way to the President's desk. It is important legislation that will make an impact in the lives of so many girls and young women around the world. Like last year, I am an original co-sponsor of the House version of the Girls Count Act, and I think that the version introduced in both Houses this Congress is even better than the one that the House passed last year, as it explicitly recognizes the great work that so many faith-based organizations do around the globe. There is a need for the legislation, because in too many parts of the world, girls are discriminated against simply for being a girl. Indeed, this disregard for the value of the girl child often begins in the womb, in countries such as India and China, where we see the horrific practice of sex-selective abortion. This cruel practice in turn has led to a gender imbalance which has fed other crimes against women, such as sex trafficking, bride selling and prostitution. I chaired a hearing two years ago on the problem of ``India's Missing Girls,'' which addressed the problem of violence against the girl child in India. Sex-selective abortion and female infanticide have led to lopsided sex ratios: in parts of India, for example, 126 boys are born for every 100 girls.…”