Advocacy Update ~ January 13, 2020

January 13, 2020

GHC Updated FY20 Appropriations Chart

Be sure to check out GHC’s  appropriations breakdown to learn more about the funding levels for specific global health accounts. Our U.S. Appropriations Funding Chart, broken down by budget line can be found here. 

NTDs Legislation Passes as Part of FY20 Appropriations

H.R. 3460: The End Neglected Tropical Diseases Act, which passed out of the House in early December 2019, was included in the final FY2020 Appropriations package that was signed into law by President Trump on December 20. The bill supports a broad range of implementation, research and development activities that work toward the achievement of cost-effective and sustainable treatment, control, and where possible, the elimination of neglected tropical diseases.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Moves on Legislation to Provide Better Care to Children

  • In December, the House Foreign Affairs Committee held a hearing for the Global Hope Act (sponsored by Ranking Member McCaul and Chairman Engel), which leverages public-private partnerships and builds on the successful President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) framework to improve cancer treatments for children across the developing world. The mortality rate for children diagnosed with cancer in the developing world is 80%, matching the survival rate in the United States. The bill passed out of committee unanimously. 
  • The committee also unanimously passed the Global Child Thrive Act, sponsored by Joaquin Castro and Brian Fitzpatrick, which according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, aims to incorporate early childhood development interventions into foreign assistance programs serving children and families.

Senate Resolutions Passed on Human Rights and One Health

  • In December, the Senate passed S. Res. 450, to recognize the 71st Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the celebration of Human Rights Day as well as S. Res. 462, designating January 2020 as National One Health Awareness Month to promote awareness of organizations focused on public health, animal health, and environmental health collaboration across the United States. 

Nominations Update

The Senate recently confirmed the following:

  • Kelley Currie as Ambassador at Large for Global Women’s Issues;
  • Michelle Beckkering as Assistant Administrator of USAID’s Bureau for Economic Growth, Education, and Environment;
  • Stephen Biegun as Deputy Secretary of State.

The Senate recently received the following nominations:

  • Ramsey Coats Day has been nominated to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the African Development Foundation, as well as an Assistant Administrator of USAID;
  • Jennifer Yue Barber has been nominated to serve as the U.S. Representative to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), with the rank of Ambassador.

 

This post was written by Kiki Kalkstein, Director of Advocacy and Engagement, and Rebecca Daedalus, Advocacy & Community Partnerships Coordinator.