Barbara Lee Commemorates World Malaria Day
Press Release
For Immediate Release: April 25, 2008
Contact: Cleve Mesidor, (202) 225-2661
(Washington, DC) – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-9), a founding member of the Congressional Malaria Caucus, released the following statement to commemorate World Malaria Day:
“As a coauthor of the initial legislation creating the framework for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria in 2000 and as one of five co-authors of the original US Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Act of 2003 and the 2008 expansion and re-authorization of this important bill, I am pleased to commemorate World Malaria Day to build awareness about the fight against this easily preventable and treatable disease.
“Across the globe, 350-500 million people suffer from malaria every year, a million of whom die from their illness- mostly infants, young children and pregnant women. These statistics are devastating. While our nation has already made a great commitment to combat this disease globally, we must do more. We need to provide at least $500 million in bilateral funding for malaria programs this year and an additional $1.65 billion for the Global Fund.
“I applaud my colleague, Chairman Donald Payne, for founding the Congressional Malaria Caucus, and I am proud to be one of its initial members. This was an important step to go further to address this deadly disease. I will continue to work with my colleagues in both Chambers of Congress to quickly pass the Tom Lantos and Henry Hyde U.S. Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS Tuberculosis and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008 so that we can authorize $5 billion in new funding to combat malaria over the next five years.”
Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-9) serves on the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Appropriations Committee. She co-authored legislation creating the framework for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria in 2000, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief in 2003, and legislation on orphans and vulnerable children affected by HIV/AIDS in 2005.