Members of Congress Call on White House to Release Findings from Report Submitted on U.N. Population Fund's Work in China

Read the Salon.com June 13 article on UNFPA.

Washington (June 20) - Today, Representatives Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), Jim Greenwood (R-PA), Nita Lowey (D-NY), and Doug Ose (R-CA) sent a letter to the President asking him to release the

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Contact an expert: Sarah Craven, UNFPA Sally Ethelston, PAI Click here to read the latest coverage on UNFPA funding Click here to read facts about UNFPA's activities in China

findings of a report submitted to him by a team he sent to investigate UNFPA's work in China.

In response to allegations made by a single right wing group, the Bush Administration sent a three person team in early May, headed by former Ambassador Bill Brown, to China to review the U.N. Population Fund Program. The team returned and completed a report which they submitted to the White House at the end of May. Three weeks later, the Administration remains silent on when they will release the findings.

Money appropriated for UNFPA continues to be held hostage despite the fact that President Bush included funding for UNFPA in his own FY02 budget request, and he signed the FY02 Foreign Operations Budget this past January which included $34 million for UNFPA.

Excerpts from the letter:
"We are confident that this team, like over 60 diplomatic observers who have already visited the program, will affirm that the U.N. Population Fund is promoting human rights and volunteerism and pushing the Chinese government to respect the fundamental rights of their citizens.... Mr. President, as someone who has said cares deeply about the rights of women around the world, we know you are troubled by the incredible impact this delay is having on women and children."

View the letter in its entirety at: http://www.house.gov/maloney/UNFPAReport.pdf

Read Related Coverage:
June 21 article by The New York Times: Desire for Sons Drives Use of Prenatal Scans in China

June 20 editorial by The New York Times: Refugee Women's Plight

June 19 article by USA Today: China Thrown Off Balance as Boys Outnumber Girls

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