Washington, D.C. (June 29, 2021) – Global Health Council (GHC) welcomes the introduction of S. 2297, the International Pandemic Preparedness and COVID-19 Response Act as an important piece of legislation designed to accelerate and enhance the U.S. international response to pandemics, both present, and future, and to effectively operationalize lessons learned. The bill includes three provisions focused on the U.S. international response to the COVID-19 pandemic, preventing and preparing for future global health threats, and establishing a multilateral financing mechanism for global health security and pandemic preparedness and prevention.

“We have heard from and worked with our partners and membership on a wide range of issues pertaining to COVID and we all know that while things begin to return to a new normal in the United States, we must all work together, fully committed, to ending the COVID-pandemic everywhere. As many of our colleagues around the world have stated, none of us are truly safe until all of us are.  Today’s news represents the culmination of seventeen months of work by Senators Risch and Menendez, and GHC is encouraged by the introduction of this bipartisan effort.  The International Pandemic Preparedness and COVID-19 Response Act advances global health security, improves coordination among the relevant agencies implementing U.S. foreign assistance, and will ultimately enable our partner countries to strengthen their health systems and supply chains to better prepare for, prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease threats in the future.” stated John Ariale, Interim President and Executive Director.

The legislation has broad bipartisan support and is led by Senator Robert Menendez, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Senator James Risch, Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. We welcome the initial draft of the bill and look forward to our continued work with our colleagues in Congress as this legislation makes its way through the Committee process.

 

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About Global Health Council

Established in 1972, Global Health Council (GHC) is the leading membership organization supporting and connecting advocates, implementers, and stakeholders around global health priorities worldwide. GHC represents the collaborative voice of the community on key issues; we convene stakeholders around key priorities and actively engage with decision-makers to influence global health policy. Learn more at www.globalhealth.org. GHC published A Guide to U.S. Investments in Global Health: Transforming Communities Worldwide, comprehensive consensus recommendations on a variety of global health issues, which are available at www.ghbb.globalhealth.org.

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Global Health Council

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