[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 82 (Friday, May 1, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E410]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              AMERICA'S GLOBAL LEADERSHIP DURING COVID-19

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                          HON. ELIOT L. ENGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 1, 2020

  Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, on the Foreign Affairs Committee, we know 
that so many critical national security threats require a global, 
coordinated response. We know that we're stronger when we work with our 
international partners to face challenges head-on. And we know that the 
United States has a vital global leadership role to during 
international crises.
  Today, those principles should guide our response to this pandemic. 
The rapid spread of COVID-19---an infectious disease that knows no 
borders--has presented us with unprecedented challenge and heartbreak. 
We need a path forward for the United States and countries around the 
world to get on the road toward rebuilding and recovery.
  More than 50,000 Americans have died from coronavirus. It's painfully 
clear that the Administration should have done more to prepare for this 
pandemic and protect our citizens. There is so much more we have to do 
to keep Americans safe and our communities healthy moving forward. We 
need more testing. We need to support our doctors and nurses. We need 
to help those who provide our food and those who keep us safe. But, we 
simply can't do those things effectively if we bury our heads in the 
sand and wall ourselves off from the rest of the world.
  Our world is interconnected. Fighting the coronavirus for America 
means making sure other countries can effectively fight the pandemic, 
as well. The United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres summed 
it up well: ``We are only as strong as the weakest health system in our 
interconnected world.''
  That's why the Trump Administration's decision to cut funding for the 
World Health Organization is so counterproductive. The WHO plays a 
vital role in supporting and enforcing international health 
regulations, educating the public, and strengthening the ability of 
health systems--particularly those in the developing world--to prevent, 
detect, and respond to outbreaks. This is precisely the time that we 
need the WHO most. Instead, the Administration is stopping all our 
funding--just like shutting down the fire department in the middle of a 
blaze.
  Retreating from global health institutions at this time only makes it 
harder for us to combat COVID-19, putting our national security and 
American lives at risk. When America pulls away from the world, others 
will fill the void. China is already providing relief and support to 
countries now on the brink of their own crises--particularly in Africa 
and the developing world. And, Beijing pledged an additional $30 
million to the WHO just as Trump suspended American funds to the world 
body. The United States must act to preserve the critical development 
gains we helped drive, from basic education to access to clean water to 
free and fair elections.
  lf we want to see the world recover in a way that strengthens our 
economy, national security, and environment--in a way that promotes and 
preserves the values of freedom and democracy which we hold dear--in a 
way that raises up impoverished people--we need to lead it in that 
direction. Now is the time for American global leadership. Now is the 
time to recognize our interconnected world and work with our partners 
to save lives in countries near and far. Now is the time to move 
forward for America and the world.

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