[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 100 (Wednesday, June 25, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Page S4001]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          GLOBAL CHILD HEALTH

 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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