[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 80 (Tuesday, April 28, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E398-E399]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              AMERICA'S GLOBAL LEADERSHIP DURING COVID-19

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. AMI BERA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 28, 2020

  Mr. BERA. Madam Speaker, as a doctor, I'm proud that the United 
States has been a leader in global health. Around the world, millions 
of people are healthier and more safe because of the efforts of the 
United States. Through smart and strategic investments in the State 
Department and USAID, we have led the international fight against 
diseases like HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis. We should all be 
proud of the far-reaching impact of our global health, development and 
humanitarian assistance programs.
  Several decades of leadership and investment in global health have 
not only saved the lives of people across the world, but have proved 
vital to protecting the health, security, and economic interests of 
Americans within our own borders. In our interconnected world, it can 
take 36 hours for a virus to travel from a remote village to all six 
continents. The sooner we act to contain a public health emergency 
abroad, the safer our citizens are back home.
  The urgent need to contain the COVID-19 pandemic and protect our 
constituents has reinforced the importance of contributing to global 
health challenges abroad. Since originating in China in December 2019, 
the virus has quickly spread to 170 countries and has now reached over 
200,000 deaths worldwide.
  The United States has been hit particularly hard. With over 50,000 
reported deaths, the pandemic is putting significant strain on our 
first responders and health systems. States are beginning to make the 
difficult decision whether to lift stay-at-home orders in hopes of 
jumpstarting the economy.
  But no matter how successful we are in fighting the pandemic here at 
home, we will never defeat it unless other parts of the world are 
equipped to prevent outbreaks from occurring in the first place and to 
contain them when they do occur. Left unaddressed globally, COVID-19 
will find its way back to the U.S.
  Before the virus hit the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC) warned that a staggering 70 percent of countries were 
underprepared to prevent, detect, and respond to a public health 
emergency. Many nations, particularly in the developing world, aren't 
equipped to deal with COVID-19 or future pandemics. Far too many 
countries suffer from weak health systems, with challenges such as 
unsafe water and inadequate sanitation tools to lack of health centers 
altogether.
  Other nations are reeling from years of conflict, natural disasters 
or other humanitarian conflicts, doing their best to support inadequate 
health systems already operating well below capacity. COVID-19 does not 
recognize borders. It doesn't know the difference between someone back 
in my district and one of the over 65 million forcibly displaced 
persons in the world.
  The secondary economic and food shortages have hit us hard here in 
the U.S. and we in Congress are doing our best to address them. The 
predictions for the future around the world are bleak--the World Food 
Program recently estimated that by the end of 2020 the number of people 
around the world who are starving could double, reaching 265 million 
people.
  All these risk factors around the world only increase the likelihood 
of this virus reemerging at our doorstep. They also leave us exposed to 
future public health threats. Now, more than ever, the U.S. must 
continue to lead on global health. As Congress works towards additional 
funding and response efforts to fight this global pandemic, it's 
critical that our actions include funding to fight COVID-19 around the 
world.
  Decades of U.S. global leadership in foreign assistance has shown us 
that smart and strategic investments are critical to protecting the 
homeland. Our efforts have defended the safety of our nation and saved 
countless lives. I ask my colleagues to join me in calling for the 
prioritizing of a U.S.-led global response to combatting coronavirus. 
If we don't keep one eye abroad, we unnecessarily leave our families, 
friends, and neighbors at risk.

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