WASHINGTON, D.C. – The congresswoman and Democratic colleagues want the president to raise the issue at July's G8 meeting.

Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, on Tuesday was joined by 35 Democratic women colleagues in urging President Bush to make a greater U.S. commitment to addressing the global epidemic of maternal mortality and calling on him to raise the issue of maternal mortality at the upcoming G8 meeting in Japan in July.

President Bush has been loudly calling on other partner nations in the G8 to follow through on previous pledges to provide $60 billion to help African countries battle diseases such as malaria and HIV/AIDS.

The Capps letter notes that President Bush’s efforts to combat malaria and HIV/AIDS in Africa are laudable but that these efforts are jeopardized by neglecting to adequately address maternal deaths in these countries. The limited progress in addressing the devastating effect of maternal mortality globally also has hindered efforts to eradicate poverty and encourage economic development. 

“President Bush has a unique opportunity at next month’s G8 summit in Japan to address maternal mortality and its devastating impact on families, communities and countries.” said Rep. Capps, chairwoman of the Democratic Women’s Working Group.

“Efforts to address many of his top humanitarian priorities such as fighting malaria and HIV/AIDS in Africa are directly undermined by the persistent plague of maternal mortality, which claims the life of one woman every minute of every day. We will not be able to realize significant progress in combating global poverty and disease until we take significant steps to address the tragedy of maternal mortality and ensure that pregnancy and childbirth are safe for women no matter where they happen to live. We hope that President Bush seizes this moment and enables the U.S. to provide real leadership on this issue that is so fundamental to human existence around the world.”

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