March 2022

EGPAF Responds to Congressional Decision to Strip $5 Billion for Global COVID Response From FY22 Omnibus

On March 9, U.S. Congress announced it would pull a critical $5 billion global COVID-19 funding package from the FY22 omnibus.

The following quote can be attributed to Catherine Connor, Vice President Public Policy & Advocacy:

“The decision yesterday by Congress to pull global COVID-19 relief from the Fiscal Year 2022 Omnibus bill is woefully shortsighted and puts our global COVID response and other bilateral global health programs like PEPFAR at risk.  

Previously allocated United States government funding for the global COVID response has been expended, meaning fewer resources remain to deliver more vaccines, combat future variants, and reach more children, youth, and families impacted by HIV globally. Resources for the global COVID response have strong bipartisan and bicameral support, so Congress must act with urgency not hesitancy. 

U.S. leadership in the global infectious disease response, whether it be by taking steps to end HIV, malaria, or Ebola, has led to catalytic change. It is unthinkable that the U.S. would not step up and lead the world in relentlessly fighting to end this global pandemic.  

We call on Congress to reverse their unwise decision and ensure vital funding for the global COVID-19 response is passed immediately.”