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Congress Acts on Women-Related Resolutions

This week, the Senate and House approved resolutions to raise awareness of ovarian cancer (S. Res. 267), recognize the 15th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act (P.L. 103-322) (H. Res. 738), and support efforts to reduce infant mortality (H. Res. 260).

Ovarian Cancer

On September 15, the Senate approved, by unanimous consent, S. Res. 267, which “supports the goals and ideals of National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.”

The resolution contains a number of findings, including:

  • ovarian cancer is the deadliest of all gynecologic cancers, and the reported mortality rate from ovarian cancer is increasing;
  • [it] is the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths among women in the United States;
  • all women are at risk for ovarian cancer, and 90 percent of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer do not have a family history that puts them at higher risk;
  • the Pap test is sensitive and specific to the early detection of cervical cancer, but not to ovarian cancer;
  • there is currently no reliable early detection test for ovarian cancer;
  • due to the lack of a reliable early detection test, 75 percent of cases of ovarian cancer are detected at an advanced stage, making the overall five-year survival rate only 45 percent;
  • if ovarian cancer is diagnosed and treated at an early stage, before the cancer spreads outside of the ovary, the survival rate is as high as 90 percent; and
  • awareness and early recognition of ovarian cancer symptoms are the best way to save the lives of women.

Violence Against Women Act

On September 14, the House passed, by voice vote, H. Res. 738, marking the 15th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). The resolution expresses the House of Representatives’ support of “the goals and ideals of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 and its subsequent reauthorization acts and recognizes the need to continue vigorous enforcement of the provisions of [VAWA] and similar acts and programs to deter and prosecute crimes of violence against women.”

The resolution’s findings include:

  • VAWA was the first comprehensive legislative package designed to end violence against women;
  • the protections and provisions afforded by VAWA were subsequently expanded and improved by VAWA 2000, which created a legal assistance program for victims and expanded the definition of domestic violence crimes to include dating violence and stalking;
  • VAWA and interventions funded by that act have reduced the incidence of domestic violence, have lowered sexual assault rates, and have averted societal costs by reducing the need for emergency and medical responses;
  • VAWA has provided crucial federal support to Indian tribes to combat the problems of sexual and domestic violence in Indian country;
  • [the act] has provided crucial federal support for efforts by criminal justice officials and victim service providers to hold offenders accountable and to keep stalking victims safe; and
  • the continued support of VAWA and subsequent acts combating violence against women is essential to best serve the 3.4 million individuals in the United States who are stalked each year.

“This important legislation has also succeeded in bringing communities together to address domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, “said Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL). She continued, “Currently, law enforcement, prosecution, the courts, victim services, and community-based programs work together on the grassroots and state-wide levels to develop long-term plans for addressing the four categories of crime…The holistic approach to addressing violence against women that VAWA promotes is inextricably linked to the improved safety and security of victims of domestic and sexual violence and their families. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution.”

Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) said, “In 2000, Congress reauthorized many VAWA programs, set new funding levels, and created new grant programs to address sexual assaults on campuses and assist victims of domestic abuse…The VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2000 also created new stalking offenses by creating penalties for a person who travels in interstate or foreign commerce with the intent to kill, injure, harass, or intimidate a spouse or intimate partner. VAWA was reauthorized for an additional five years when President Bush signed the act in 2005. The legislation expanded VAWA to include initiatives to help children who have been exposed to violence and to train health care providers to support victims of abuse. The 2005 reauthorization also provided funding for crisis services for victims of rape and sexual assault.”

Infant Mortality

On September 15, the House passed, 415-0, a resolution “supporting efforts to reduce infant mortality in the United States.”

The resolution contains several findings, including:

  • the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have found that the United States ranked 29th in the world in infant mortality in 2004, falling from 12th in 1960;
  • preterm birth has a considerable impact on the United States infant mortality rate; in 2005, 68.6 percent of all infant deaths occurred to preterm infants, up from 65.6 percent in 2000;
  • the United States infant mortality rate for non-Hispanic black women was 2.4 times the rate for non-Hispanic white women in 2005;
  • prenatal care is one of the most important interventions for ensuring the health of pregnant women and their infants;
  • twenty-nine percent of mothers 15 to 19 years of age received no early prenatal care in 2004 according to the Department of Health and Human Services;
  • babies born to mothers who received no prenatal care are three times more likely to be born at low birth weight, and five times more likely to die, than those whose mothers received prenatal care;
  • the United States 2004 ranking of 29th in the world for infant mortality rates is due in part to racial disparities in prenatal treatment; and
  • the racial disparities in infant mortality may relate to socioeconomic status, access to medical care, and the education of the mother.

The resolution “acknowledges that the United States has a disturbingly high infant mortality rate in relation to the global community” and demonstrates the House of Representatives’ support of “efforts to correct the racial disparities in prenatal care to lower the infant mortality rate in the United States.”