International Protecting Girls by Preventing Child Marriage Act of 2010

Floor Speech

* Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 987, legislation that would authorize the United States to provide assistance for the prevention of child marriage in the developing world. Regrettably, child marriage continues to be an all-too-common practice in many third-world countries. We as a nation have a moral obligation to do all that we can to assist with the prevention of this deplorable custom. Marrying before puberty or during early to mid-adolescence places young women in dire circumstances--where they face severe health risks in pregnancy and childbirth, where they are trapped in positions of complete dependence and where they are subjected to verbal and physical abuse at the hands of their spouses. It is imperative for the United States to take a strong stance against this practice by investing in efforts to prevent child marriage and empower susceptible young women in these developing nations.

* Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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