Joe Pitts: “around the world today there are daughters and sons of many nations whose lives are at stake. Why? In large part because…”

“around the world today there are daughters and sons of many nations whose lives are at stake. Why? In large part because our Nation has sought to impose our own population control ideas on other countries whose most pressing needs are for basic nutrition and health care. Children in these countries are dying. Yet, an increased push for population control has come at the expense of saving the lives of little children. A Kenyan doctor makes this point, and I quote. He says, ``Our health sector is collapsed. Thousands of Kenyan people will die of malaria whose treatment costs a few cents in health facilities, whose stores are stacked to the roof with millions of dollars' worth of pills, IUDs, Norplant, Depo-provera, most of which are supplied with American tax money.'' When a mother brought a child with pneumonia to this doctor, he had no penicillin to give the child. All he had were cases upon cases of contraceptives. Madam Speaker, let us respond to the true health needs of these people, the needs of life and death. Join in transferring at least a portion of the population control funds to what we know works, child survival. Join in cosponsoring the Save the Children Act.”