Rep. Maloney Hails Restored Funding for UNFPA

WASHINGTON—Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) today applauded Congressional
approval of $50 million in appropriations for UNFPA, the United Nations
Population Fund.

“The House has sent a message to millions of women and children around
the world: we know you have struggled and we are going to help,”
Maloney said. “Instead of ignoring the world’s neediest, we will now
help those who seek it, and help save women’s lives in the 150
countries where UNFPA does its valuable work.”

“I’m proud to have helped keep the UNFPA cause alive-- with the bipartisan coalition of my colleagues that I organized-- during the eight years when the previous Administration was withholding legitimately appropriated funds, and inventing-- for ideological reasons-- new excuses to withhold funds during each fiscal cycle,” Maloney said. “It was tragic. UNFPA is truly a ‘motherhood’ issue—almost half of the aid they provide is devoted to maternal and child health issues, and they alone provide 25 percent of aid to worldwide population programs.”

“I look forward to working with President Obama and with UNFPA to make sure the funds he is releasing are targeted carefully to help as many women and girls around the world as possible,” Maloney said.

“With this action Congress is helping President Obama is fulfill what he promised in his Inaugural Address: ‘America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity...’ And we are rejoining the community of nations – over 180 of which support UNFPA financially,” Maloney concluded.

Background: During his eight years in office, President George W. Bush withheld over $240 million in cumulative funds that Congress had appropriated annually for UNFPA. President Obama, reversing the Bush policy, has pledged to disburse the UNFPA appropriations this year.

UNFPA is an international organization whose goal is to protect women and children by promoting safe motherhood, providing prenatal and postnatal care, and ending a devastating and preventable condition called obstetric fistula in nearly 150 countries.