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Kirsten Gillibrand on Families & ChildrenDemocratic Jr Senator (NY) |
Over the past decade, New York had a major increase in maternal mortality: maternal deaths statewide has risen from 13.2 per 100,000 live births in 2006, to 25 per 100,000 live births in 2015, Gillibrand said.
Gillibrand's legislation, The Modernizing Obstetric Medicine Standards (MOMS) Act, would provide funding to help hospitals implement standardized best practices to prevent and respond to complications arising from childbirth.
Hospitals often lack the funding necessary for supplies and proper training to implement standards and prevent complications and deaths arising from childbirth, Gillibrand said.
A: Some of the feedback we got is that there are some impediments for women entering the work force; for example, affordable daycare, good quality early childhood education. Mothers in particular often want to enter the work force, but don't have the child care or the support they need to do so. So making sure employees know that when they provide childcare services, or when they make it easier for parents to work, they are increasing access to very good workers and to who's available for the work force. That it's a very pro-economy issue if you can provide affordable daycare. A lot of studies show that if you do that, if you provide it on site or make it accessible, that actually a lot of parents are more productive workers as a result.
Authorizes grants to states for sex education programs, including education on abstinence and contraception, to prevent teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Expresses the sense of Congress that states are encouraged, although not required, to provide matching funds to receive such grants.
Requires the Secretary to provide for a national evaluation of a representative sample of such programs for effectiveness in delaying the initiation of sexual intercourse and other high-risk behaviors, preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease, and increasing contraceptive knowledge and behavior. Requires states receiving such grants to provide for an individual evaluation of the state's program by an external, independent entity.
Introduction by co-sponsor Sen. Kay Hagan (D,NC):
We have a serious responsibility to ensure that women and families are protected. The rates of violence and abuse in our country are astounding and totally unacceptable: domestic violence affects more than 12 million people each year. In my home state, 73 women and children are killed on average every year because of domestic violence.
Since 1994, the STOP Program has provided grants for services, training, officers, and prosecutors, and has transformed our criminal justice system and victim support services. And this bill includes the bipartisan SAFER Act, which helps fund audits of untested DNA evidence and reduces this backlog of rape kits. I ask you: What other victims in America have to identify the attacker before authorities will take action? None.Introduction by Sen. Chuck Grassley(R,IA):
I urge my Republican colleagues, as I will do, to support the motion to proceed.
There has long been bipartisan support for the Violence Against Women Act. Too many women are victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and dating violence. There is overwhelming bipartisan support for 98% of what is contained in S. 47. [Since our negative vote last session], controversial provisions have been removed. The key stumbling block to enacting a bill at this time is the provision concerning Indian tribal courts. Negotiations are continuing, and compromises would allow the bill to pass with overwhelming bipartisan support. Introduction by Sen. Pat Leahy (D,VT):
Our bill will allow services to get to those in the LGBT community who have had trouble accessing services in the past. The rates of domestic and sexual violence in these communities are equal to or greater than those of the general population. We also have key improvements for immigrant victims of domestic and sexual violence.