Representatives Barbara Lee and Michael McCaul Urge Biden Administration to Pledge for a Replenishment in the Global Fund
Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA), Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations and co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus, and Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX), House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member, led 137 of their colleagues in urging the Biden administration to commit to a robust and increased three-year U.S. pledge for replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
The administration recently announced that the United States will host the Seventh Replenishment of the Global Fund. The lawmakers hope to retain a commitment for a robust three year pledge for the replenishment. The lawmakers argue that the Global Fund can build on investments in the fight against AIDS, TB and malaria and continue to strengthen global health systems, which have shown themselves to be crucial to pandemic response.
“The Global Fund partnership has saved over 44 million lives since 2002, but widespread service disruptions and exhausted health care systems due to the COVID-19 pandemic have reversed crucial progress against AIDS, TB and malaria for the first time since the Global Fund was established,” wrote the lawmakers. “Comparing 2020 to 2019, HIV prevention services declined by 11%, one million fewer people were treated for TB, and malaria testing dropped by 4%. That is why the Global Fund must maintain focus on combatting AIDS, TB and malaria and addressing the backsliding caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic. A U.S. contribution to the Global Fund should be separate and additive to COVID-19 response efforts, and should not come at the expense of other crucial U.S. investments in global development and humanitarian response.
The lawmakers continued, “A robust U.S. pledge is an investment in economic growth at home, supporting healthier workers and expanding trade opportunities that directly benefit the American people. The Global Fund projects that for every $1 invested, it will generate $19 in economic returns and health gains, contributing to direct economic benefits for the U.S. The administration must continue to conduct rigorous oversight of all U.S. contributions to ensure every dollar is maximizing impact.”
The full letter and list of signers can be found here.
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Congresswoman Lee is a member of the House Appropriations Committee and Chair of the Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations. She serves as Co-Chair of the Steering & Policy Committee, former Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Chair Emeritus of the Progressive Caucus, Co-Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Health Task Force, and Co-Chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus. She also serves as Chair of the Majority Leader’s Task Force on Poverty and Opportunity. As a member of the House Democratic Leadership, she is the highest ranking Black woman in the U.S. Congress.