Global Child Health

Floor Speech

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. President, I wish to recognize the successful efforts made over the past 25 years to improve the health of children across the globe. Through a strong, bipartisan commitment to foreign assistance, the United States, in partnership with other world leaders, multinational organizations, and local stakeholders, has played a critical role in reducing the number of child deaths before the age of 5.

Compared to 25 years ago, 6 million fewer children will die this year before their fifth birthday. This achievement could not have been possible without the dedication to service and drive to help others that is characteristic of the American spirit. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I have long supported programs such as PEPFAR, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, and other efforts to address child and maternal health. Over the years, I have worked with Republican and Democratic administrations on these initiatives and am proud of the bipartisan support they have received.

Today, thanks to significant investments made by the United States along with faith-based, philanthropic, nongovernmental organizations, and support from other countries, fewer children are dying from preventable diseases and conditions such as pneumonia, diarrhea, measles, malaria, and AIDS. We have succeeded in cutting in half the number of deaths among children under 5 and reduced the incidence of preventable illness.

As we celebrate the progress that has been made, we also look ahead to the work that remains. Millions of children still live with the reality that they may not reach their fifth birthday. As we continue to face tight fiscal environments, we must be careful not to try to balance the budget on the back of the world's poor and hungry. After all, total U.S. foreign aid to all countries constitutes only 1% of the U.S. Federal budget. As a leader in our global community, we must find ways to maintain our commitment to global health programs and continue efforts to improve child mortality rates.

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