Tuesday November 27, 2001

I rise in strong support of HR 3330, the Afghan Women And Children Relief Act. This legislation will ensure that educational and health care assistance reaches the women and children of Afghanistan.

The Taliban’s crimes against women have by now become well-known. Against the teaching of Islam and against the will of women across Afghanistan, the Taliban:

• Ended education for girls over eight.

• Shut down the women’s university.

• Forbade women doctors from practicing medicine

• And then forbade women from receiving care from male doctors.

This deliberate, cruel treatment compounded the suffering of more than 20 years of war, extreme poverty, and drought in Afghanistan to create a dire health situation for women and children. Afghanistan has the world’s second worst maternal death rate during childbirth. One hundred sixty five out of every thousand babies die before their first birthday. The Taliban has done untold harm to its own people with these actions, and we must now help repair the damage done.

Rebuilding Afghanistan is part of the promise we have made to provide a comprehensive solution to the root causes of terrorism. We must offer hope to the people of Afghanistan, and we must work toward creating a stable Afghan government.

Aid to the women and children of Afghanistan will accomplish both of these goals. It will improve the lives of millions and increase opportunities for all members of Afghan society — including women — to have their voices heard.

The overwhelming bipartisan support by Congress today demonstrates that our support is no short-term political ploy. We are here for the long haul, and we expect to see results.

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