Today the Senate Appropriations Committee released their fiscal year (FY) 2023 State and Foreign Operations bill. There were some small but important increases to global health funding, and much-needed emergency supplemental funding, but the proposed bill falls short of meeting the need.

Overall, the bill provides $64.56 billion for the State and Foreign Operations funding line, which is roughly $6.56 billion more than the FY22 enacted level, including approximately $10.5 billion for global health programs at the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which is $680 million above the FY22 enacted level. The Senate bill also includes new emergency supplemental funding requests: $5 billion for the global COVID-19 response and $950 million in emergency global health security funding, including $200 million for building health worker and systems capacity and up to a $550 million contribution to a new financing mechanism for pandemic preparedness. 

Although GHC is pleased to see $2 billion for the Global Fund ahead of its upcoming replenishment, the bill provides relatively small increases or flat funding for many other global health programs, such as global health security and for water, sanitation, and hygiene at USAID. With inflation rates currently exceeding 8 percent, flat funding will require these programs to do more with less and make cuts to essential services. 

“The U.S. has played an indispensable role in fighting diseases, developing effective programs, and fortifying health systems in countries around the world,” said GHC’s President and CEO, Elisha Dunn-Georgiou. Building on this legacy is critically important and will require adequate resources. House and Senate appropriators must capitalize on the opportunity to pass a bill that truly lays the path for improved health and stronger, more resilient health systems worldwide.”

As the leading member organization devoted to advancing global health priorities, GHC will continue to work with both chambers of Congress to advocate for the strongest possible funding for global health in FY23 appropriations bills.