Patty Murray: “women around the world should have access to safe health care, especially those who are struggling in some of our…”

“women around the world should have access to safe health care, especially those who are struggling in some of our world's poorest nations. That is why I am in the Senate this afternoon to support the Boxer amendment. I thank Senator Boxer for standing up on an issue that affects women around the globe. I am very proud to be a cosponsor and supporter of this amendment. This amendment is about ensuring that women around the world have access to health care that they need, especially reproductive health care. It does not get much attention, but in the developing world, complication from pregnancy is one of the leading causes of death for women. It ranks right up there with tuberculosis. According to the World Health Organization, more than half a million women die every year of causes related to pregnancy or childbirth. That is more than one woman dying every minute of every day. That is what we are talking about with this amendment. That is a crisis. Now, you know when there is a medical crisis, something that kills hundreds of thousands of people every year, we do not just stand by. We work to make things better. In poor countries around the world, medical professionals and nongovernmental organizations are simply trying to make things better. They have set up clinics. They have done an excellent job. They are reaching out to poor communities. And they are opening the doors of access to women and families who desperately need health care.…”