[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 91 (Thursday, May 14, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2456-S2457]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE RESOLUTION 579--ENCOURAGING THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO 
  REMAIN COMMITTED TO COLLABORATION AND COORDINATION TO MITIGATE AND 
PREVENT THE FURTHER SPREAD OF COVID-19 AND URGING RENEWED UNITED STATES 
LEADERSHIP AND PARTICIPATION IN ANY GLOBAL EFFORTS ON THERAPEUTICS AND 
   VACCINE DEVELOPMENT AND DELIVERY TO ADDRESS COVID-19 AND PREVENT 
                 FURTHER DEATHS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

  Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. Schumer, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Leahy, Mr. 
Menendez, Mr. Murphy, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Coons, Mr. Udall, Mr. Bennet, 
Mr. Booker, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Reed, Mrs. Gillibrand, 
Mr. Casey, Mr. Brown, Ms. Hassan, Mrs. Feinstein, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. 
Heinrich, Ms. Warren, Mr. Cardin, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Markey, Ms. Baldwin, 
Mr. Wyden, Ms. Cortez Masto, Mr. Sanders, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Whitehouse, 
Ms. Rosen, Mr. Kaine, Ms. Smith, Mr. King, Mr. Warner, Mr. Schatz, Ms. 
Klobuchar, Mr. Merkley, and Mr. Carper) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 579

       Whereas there is a rich history of coordinated global 
     health collaboration and coordination, dating back to 1851, 
     to strategically and effectively combat deadly diseases of 
     the time, such as the spread of plague;
       Whereas the United States has long been an active and 
     critical leader in such global public health efforts, 
     providing financial and technical support to multilateral 
     institutions, foreign governments, and nongovernmental 
     organizations;
       Whereas international collaboration has led to a number of 
     historic global health achievements, including the 
     eradication of smallpox, the reduction of polio cases by 99 
     percent, the elimination of river blindness, the decline in 
     maternal and child mortality, the recognition of tobacco as a 
     health hazard, and countless others;
       Whereas there has been bipartisan support in the United 
     States to lead efforts to address global health needs, as 
     evidenced by initiatives such as the President's Emergency 
     Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the President's Malaria 
     Initiative;
       Whereas, most recently, the United States led the global 
     effort to stem the spread of Ebola, thereby avoiding a global 
     pandemic and American deaths;
       Whereas these bipartisan investments in global health have 
     helped not only save countless lives around the world, but 
     also at home in the United States;
       Whereas an outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) 
     was first identified in December 2019, with a global pandemic 
     declaration by the World Health Organization on March 11, 
     2020;
       Whereas at least 82,400 individuals in the United States 
     are known to have died due to COVID-19 as of May 13, 2020, 
     and a long-term, sustainable solution will require 
     international access to a vaccine;
       Whereas the COVID-19 outbreak continues to place extreme 
     pressure on health care systems and supply chains worldwide, 
     impacting international travel, trade, and all other

[[Page S2457]]

     aspects of international exchanges, and requiring a 
     coordinated global effort;
       Whereas the interconnectivity of our globalized world means 
     an infectious disease can travel around the world in as 
     little as 36 hours;
       Whereas United States Federal agencies have engaged in and 
     supported certain research and clinical trial efforts into 
     coronaviruses, which may yield potential discoveries related 
     to vaccine candidates;
       Whereas domestic and domestically supported vaccine 
     candidates for COVID-19 only comprise a small fraction of the 
     potential COVID-19 vaccine candidates undergoing studies 
     worldwide;
       Whereas only international collaboration and coordination 
     can ensure equitable access to safe, effective, and 
     affordable therapeutics and vaccines, thereby saving 
     Americans and others around the world;
       Whereas the United States has not yet joined 
     ``Solidarity'', an international clinical trial to rapidly 
     identify effective treatments for COVID-19;
       Whereas the United States has not yet joined the Coalition 
     for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, an innovative global 
     partnership which works to accelerate the development of 
     vaccines against emerging infectious diseases and enable 
     equitable access to these vaccines for people during 
     outbreaks;
       Whereas United States opposition to stronger international 
     efforts to combat COVID-19 has created a rift within the 
     Group of 20 and undermined such collective efforts and 
     possible access for the United States to their successes;
       Whereas, on April 24, 2020, the United States declined to 
     participate in a virtual event led by a number of 
     multilateral institutions, government leaders, and public 
     health and industry leaders from around the world to 
     accelerate new COVID-19 health technologies;
       Whereas, on May 4, 2020, the United States declined to 
     participate in a subsequent virtual summit led by the 
     President of the European Commission, where nations around 
     the world--excluding the United States--pledged more than 
     $8,000,000,000 to quickly develop vaccines and treatment to 
     fight COVID-19; and
       Whereas, on June 4, 2020, the United Kingdom will host 
     another virtual international summit on accelerating the 
     development of a vaccine for COVID-19, including to support 
     GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes the historic leadership role of the United 
     States in stemming global health crises in the past;
       (2) commends the historic achievements of the international 
     community in addressing global public health crises, such as 
     the eradication of smallpox and dramatic progress in reducing 
     cases of polio and Ebola;
       (3) encourages the international community to remain 
     committed to collaboration and coordination to mitigate and 
     prevent the further spread of COVID-19;
       (4) commends the promising research underway to develop 
     COVID-19 therapies and a vaccine within the United States and 
     with support from Federal agencies;
       (5) acknowledges the vast international research enterprise 
     and collaboration underway to study an expansive range of 
     drug and vaccine candidates;
       (6) urges renewed United States leadership and 
     participation in any global efforts on therapeutics and 
     vaccine development and delivery to address COVID-19 and 
     prevent further American deaths; and
       (7) calls on the United States Government to boost funding 
     for, and strengthen collaboration with, key multilateral 
     institutions at the forefront of responding to COVID-19 such 
     as the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations; GAVI, 
     the Vaccine Alliance; and the Solidarity trial.

                          ____________________