July 9, 2020
Friends applauds House Appropriations Committee for maintaining the U.S. contribution to the Global Fund and responding to COVID-19 globally
Washington, DC – Friends applauds the House Appropriations Committee for sustaining support for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria at $1.56 billion in its fiscal year 2021 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (SFOPS) funding bill that passed out of committee today.
In addition to maintaining the increased annual funding level for the Global Fund that the committee achieved last year, the SFOPS bill includes an additional $800 million in emergency funding for the Global Fund’s COVID-19 Response Mechanism to fight COVID-19 in countries where the Global Fund works. This additional contribution is an important signal of support for emergency funding to address the global COVID-19 pandemic in forthcoming appropriations legislation. Friends looks forward to working with the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to finalize COVID-19 supplemental appropriations that include $4 billion over two years as a U.S. contribution to the Global Fund’s COVID-19 Response Mechanism.
“Thank you Chairwoman Nita Lowey, Rep. Kay Granger, Rep Hal Rogers and the entire House Appropriations Committee for recognizing the vital work of the Global Fund, not only in its primary mission of fighting AIDS, TB and malaria, but also in mitigating the impact of COVID-19 on fragile health systems,” said Friends president Chris Collins. “The COVID-19 pandemic has already seriously disrupted AIDS, TB and malaria programs and it threatens to undermine decades of progress against these diseases that kill millions of people each year.”
The SFOPs bill rejects cuts to global programs and agencies proposed by the White House in its FY21 budget proposal. Instead, it allocates $65 billion in funding, an increase of $8 billion above the fiscal year 2020 enacted level and $21 billion above the President’s budget request.
“Today the House Appropriations Committee showed courageous and visionary leadership at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic threatens advances against HIV, TB and malaria. Once again the Committee stood up for wise investments in the Global Fund as well as numerous other programs that save lives and help empower healthier communities throughout the world,” said Dr. Jeffrey L. Sturchio, Friends’ Board Chair and CEO at Rabin Martin, a global health strategy consulting firm.
For more on the impact of COVID-19 on AIDS, TB and malaria programming, please see Friends’ dedicated webpage.
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ABOUT FRIENDS OF THE GLOBAL FIGHT AGAINST AIDS, TUBERCULOSIS AND MALARIA:
Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria advocates for U.S. support of the Global Fund, and the goal to end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. For more information about Friends of the Global Fight, visit www.theglobalfight.org.
ABOUT THE GLOBAL FUND:
The Global Fund is a partnership designed to accelerate the end of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria as epidemics. As an international organization, the Global Fund mobilizes and invests more than US$4 billion a year to support programs run by local experts in more than 100 countries. In partnership with governments, civil society, technical agencies, the private sector, faith-based organizations and people affected by the diseases, we are challenging barriers and embracing innovation. Learn more at https://www.theglobalfund.org/en/overview.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Rachel Irwin
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