March 21, 2017
Improved health isn’t accomplished in a vacuum. It is connected to education, women and girls’ empowerment, economic development and nutrition. This is one reason why the proposed significant reductions to U.S. foreign assistance are so concerning.
U.S. foreign assistance has a major return on investment for America – while it comprises just 1 percent of the U.S. federal budget, it advances America’s global leadership and promotes U.S. interests both at home and abroad. As Bill Gates wrote in TIME last week, cutting foreign aid makes America less safe. The U.S. needs strong and effective development programs if we are to save millions of lives, and realize economic, humanitarian and security gains for the U.S. in the process.
Advocates for global health and security now have a quick and efficient way to reach out to their Congressional representatives about proposed cuts to foreign assistance. The U.S. Global Leadership Coalition (USGLC) has created an online portal to make it easy for people to urge their members of Congress to maintain robust foreign assistance funding.
Please take a moment to reach out to your Congressional representatives to let them hear your voice and urge them to protect American global leadership through strategic investments in health and development. Literally, millions of lives depend on it. #AmericaLeads