[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 111 (Tuesday, June 16, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3016-S3017]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SUPPORTING THE ROLE OF THE UNITED STATES IN HELPING SAVE THE LIVES OF 
 CHILDREN AND PROTECTING THE HEALTH OF PEOPLE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES 
   WITH VACCINES AND IMMUNIZATION THROUGH GAVI, THE VACCINE ALLIANCE

  Mr. GARDNER. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the 
consideration of Calendar No. 469, S. Res. 511.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The bill clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 511) supporting the role of the 
     United States in helping save the lives of children and 
     protecting the health of people in developing countries with 
     vaccines and immunization through GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution, which had been reported from the Committee on Foreign 
Relations, with an amendment to strike all after the resolving clause 
and insert the part printed in italic, and with an amendment to strike 
the preamble and insert the part printed in italic, as follows
       Whereas access to vaccines and routine immunizations can 
     protect children from deadly but preventable diseases, reduce 
     poverty, and contribute to economic growth by enabling people 
     to live longer, healthier, and more productive lives;
       Whereas investments in the development and deployment of 
     vaccines and immunizations can also help enhance global 
     health security by reducing the incidence of deadly and 
     debilitating diseases and containing the spread of infectious 
     diseases before they become pandemic health threats;
       Whereas, prior to 2000, resources for and access to 
     vaccines for children in the developing world were declining, 
     immunization rates were stagnant or decreasing, and nearly 
     10,000,000 children were dying each year before reaching 
     their 5th birthday;
       Whereas, prior to 2000, it was common for new life-saving 
     vaccines to take up to 15 years to be introduced in the 
     world's least developed countries;
       Whereas, in 2000, the United States Government joined 
     forces with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the United 
     Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Health 
     Organization, the World Bank, other donor governments, and 
     representatives of developing countries, faith-based 
     organizations, civil society, and the private sector, 
     including the vaccine industry, to create the Global Alliance 
     for Vaccines and Immunization (now known as GAVI or GAVI, the 
     Vaccine Alliance), a public-private partnership to expand 
     access to new and underused vaccines, reduce the incidence of 
     deadly and debilitating diseases, prevent epidemics, and save 
     lives;
       Whereas GAVI has since supported country-led vaccine 
     initiatives in 73 countries, enabled immunizations for more 
     than 760,000,000 of the world's most vulnerable children, 
     helped avert an estimated 13,000,000 deaths, and contributed 
     to a 70-percent reduction in the number of deaths due to 
     vaccine-preventable diseases;
       Whereas country ownership and sustainability are at the 
     core of the GAVI model, which requires each eligible country 
     to commit their own domestic resources to vaccination and 
     immunization programs;
       Whereas 15 countries have transitioned from GAVI support 
     and are now self-financing their own vaccination and 
     immunization programs, 3 more are expected to transition by 
     the end of 2020, and an additional 10 countries are expected 
     to transition by 2025 (in total, 40 percent of the original 
     set of GAVI-eligible countries);
       Whereas GAVI has transformed the market for vaccines by 
     pooling demand from developing countries, securing 
     predictable financing, expanding the global supplier base, 
     enhancing the competitiveness and security of supply chains, 
     and creating efficiencies that are expected to generate an 
     estimated $900,000,000 in savings between 2021 and 2025;
       Whereas, in addition to its current portfolio of vaccines, 
     GAVI is working to support the roll-out and scale-up of newly 
     approved vaccines for diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP) 
     boosters, hepatitis B birth dose, multivalent meningococcal, 
     respiratory syncytia (RSV), routine oral cholera, and rabies;
       Whereas GAVI also collaborates with the Global Polio 
     Eradication Initiative to bring polio vaccines into routine 
     immunization programs, strengthen health systems, and 
     implement additional polio protections;
       Whereas GAVI has made significant progress in supporting 
     the development and stockpiling of an effective vaccine to 
     combat Ebola;
       Whereas GAVI is participating in efforts to test and 
     implement an effective vaccine to prevent malaria, a disease 
     that kills more than 270,000 children a year;
       Whereas GAVI is already helping countries maintain life-
     saving immunization programs in the midst of the ongoing 
     COVID-19 pandemic to prevent multiple outbreaks and further 
     loss of life from vaccine-preventable diseases;
       Whereas GAVI also is working to help countries meet the 
     threat of COVID-19 by providing vital resources, training, 
     and supplies to help protect health workers and expand access 
     to diagnostic testing;
       Whereas GAVI will play a critical role in helping to 
     rebuild immunization systems so that once the immediate 
     crisis is over, catch-up immunization campaigns can begin and 
     COVID-19 vaccines can be introduced;
       Whereas, in April 2020, GAVI joined the Access to COVID-19 
     Tools Accelerator, a collaboration of global health 
     organizations aimed at accelerating development, production, 
     and equitable access to new COVID-19 technologies, serving as 
     the co-lead of the vaccines work stream within the 
     initiative;
       Whereas, on June 4, 2020, the United Kingdom will host an 
     online virtual Global Vaccine Summit, GAVI's third 
     replenishment conference, with an ambitious goal to raise 
     $7,400,000,000 in new donor commitments;
       Whereas, with these additional resources, GAVI plans to 
     support the immunization of 300,000,000 children against 
     potentially fatal diseases and save an additional 7,000,000 
     to 8,000,000 lives between 2021 and 2025; and
       Whereas the United States has been a leading supporter of 
     GAVI since its inception, and its continued commitment will 
     be essential to the achievement of the alliance's goals for 
     2021 through 2025: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) commends the work of GAVI and its partners for their 
     efforts to expand access to vaccines and immunizations for 
     the most vulnerable men, women, and children in developing 
     countries;
       (2) affirms the continued support of the United States 
     Government for GAVI as an efficient and effective mechanism 
     to advance global health security and save lives by--
       (A) reducing the incidence of deadly and debilitating 
     diseases;
       (B) leveraging donor, partner country, and private sector 
     investments in health systems capable of sustainably 
     delivering vaccines and immunizations; and
       (C) reducing the cost of vaccines while promoting supply 
     chain security and sustainability;
       (3) affirms the support of the United States Government for 
     the goal of securing at least $7,400,000,000 in donor 
     commitments for GAVI's third replenishment conference, to be 
     held on June 4, 2020, hosted by the United Kingdom;
       (4) urges donor countries and private sector partners to 
     step up the fight against vaccine-preventable deaths and 
     increase their pledges for the third replenishment 
     conference;
       (5) urges GAVI partner countries to continue to make and 
     meet ambitious co-financing commitments to sustain progress 
     in ending vaccine-preventable deaths; and
       (6) encourages the United States Agency for International 
     Development (USAID) and the Centers for Disease Control and 
     Prevention, in cooperation with GAVI, to continue their work 
     to strengthen public health capacity to introduce and sustain 
     the use of new and underused vaccines in routine immunization 
     programs.

  Mr. GARDNER. I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported 
substitute amendment to the resolution be agreed to.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The committee-reported amendment, in the nature of a substitute, was 
agreed to.
  Mr. GARDNER. I know of no further debate on the resolution, as 
amended.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there further debate?
  Hearing no further debate, the question is on agreeing to the 
resolution, as amended.
  The resolution (S. Res. 511), as amended, was agreed to.
  Mr. GARDNER. I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported 
amendment to the preamble be agreed to; that the preamble, as amended, 
be

[[Page S3017]]

agreed to; and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and 
laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The committee-reported amendment to the preamble was agreed to.
  The preamble, as amended, was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, as amended, was agreed to as 
follows:

                              S. Res. 511

       Whereas access to vaccines and routine immunizations can 
     protect children from deadly but preventable diseases, reduce 
     poverty, and contribute to economic growth by enabling people 
     to live longer, healthier, and more productive lives;
       Whereas investments in the development and deployment of 
     vaccines and immunizations can also help enhance global 
     health security by reducing the incidence of deadly and 
     debilitating diseases and containing the spread of infectious 
     diseases before they become pandemic health threats;
       Whereas, prior to 2000, resources for and access to 
     vaccines for children in the developing world were declining, 
     immunization rates were stagnant or decreasing, and nearly 
     10,000,000 children were dying each year before reaching 
     their 5th birthday;
       Whereas, prior to 2000, it was common for new life-saving 
     vaccines to take up to 15 years to be introduced in the 
     world's least developed countries;
       Whereas, in 2000, the United States Government joined 
     forces with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the United 
     Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Health 
     Organization, the World Bank, other donor governments, and 
     representatives of developing countries, faith-based 
     organizations, civil society, and the private sector, 
     including the vaccine industry, to create the Global Alliance 
     for Vaccines and Immunization (now known as GAVI or GAVI, the 
     Vaccine Alliance), a public-private partnership to expand 
     access to new and underused vaccines, reduce the incidence of 
     deadly and debilitating diseases, prevent epidemics, and save 
     lives;
       Whereas GAVI has since supported country-led vaccine 
     initiatives in 73 countries, enabled immunizations for more 
     than 760,000,000 of the world's most vulnerable children, 
     helped avert an estimated 13,000,000 deaths, and contributed 
     to a 70-percent reduction in the number of deaths due to 
     vaccine-preventable diseases;
       Whereas country ownership and sustainability are at the 
     core of the GAVI model, which requires each eligible country 
     to commit their own domestic resources to vaccination and 
     immunization programs;
       Whereas 15 countries have transitioned from GAVI support 
     and are now self-financing their own vaccination and 
     immunization programs, 3 more are expected to transition by 
     the end of 2020, and an additional 10 countries are expected 
     to transition by 2025 (in total, 40 percent of the original 
     set of GAVI-eligible countries);
       Whereas GAVI has transformed the market for vaccines by 
     pooling demand from developing countries, securing 
     predictable financing, expanding the global supplier base, 
     enhancing the competitiveness and security of supply chains, 
     and creating efficiencies that are expected to generate an 
     estimated $900,000,000 in savings between 2021 and 2025;
       Whereas, in addition to its current portfolio of vaccines, 
     GAVI is working to support the roll-out and scale-up of newly 
     approved vaccines for diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP) 
     boosters, hepatitis B birth dose, multivalent meningococcal, 
     respiratory syncytia (RSV), routine oral cholera, and rabies;
       Whereas GAVI also collaborates with the Global Polio 
     Eradication Initiative to bring polio vaccines into routine 
     immunization programs, strengthen health systems, and 
     implement additional polio protections;
       Whereas GAVI has made significant progress in supporting 
     the development and stockpiling of an effective vaccine to 
     combat Ebola;
       Whereas GAVI is participating in efforts to test and 
     implement an effective vaccine to prevent malaria, a disease 
     that kills more than 270,000 children a year;
       Whereas GAVI is already helping countries maintain life-
     saving immunization programs in the midst of the ongoing 
     COVID-19 pandemic to prevent multiple outbreaks and further 
     loss of life from vaccine-preventable diseases;
       Whereas GAVI also is working to help countries meet the 
     threat of COVID-19 by providing vital resources, training, 
     and supplies to help protect health workers and expand access 
     to diagnostic testing;
       Whereas GAVI will play a critical role in helping to 
     rebuild immunization systems so that once the immediate 
     crisis is over, catch-up immunization campaigns can begin and 
     COVID-19 vaccines can be introduced;
       Whereas, in April 2020, GAVI joined the Access to COVID-19 
     Tools Accelerator, a collaboration of global health 
     organizations aimed at accelerating development, production, 
     and equitable access to new COVID-19 technologies, serving as 
     the co-lead of the vaccines work stream within the 
     initiative;
       Whereas, on June 4, 2020, the United Kingdom will host an 
     online virtual Global Vaccine Summit, GAVI's third 
     replenishment conference, with an ambitious goal to raise 
     $7,400,000,000 in new donor commitments;
       Whereas, with these additional resources, GAVI plans to 
     support the immunization of 300,000,000 children against 
     potentially fatal diseases and save an additional 7,000,000 
     to 8,000,000 lives between 2021 and 2025; and
       Whereas the United States has been a leading supporter of 
     GAVI since its inception, and its continued commitment will 
     be essential to the achievement of the alliance's goals for 
     2021 through 2025: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) commends the work of GAVI and its partners for their 
     efforts to expand access to vaccines and immunizations for 
     the most vulnerable men, women, and children in developing 
     countries;
       (2) affirms the continued support of the United States 
     Government for GAVI as an efficient and effective mechanism 
     to advance global health security and save lives by--
       (A) reducing the incidence of deadly and debilitating 
     diseases;
       (B) leveraging donor, partner country, and private sector 
     investments in health systems capable of sustainably 
     delivering vaccines and immunizations; and
       (C) reducing the cost of vaccines while promoting supply 
     chain security and sustainability;
       (3) affirms the support of the United States Government for 
     the goal of securing at least $7,400,000,000 in donor 
     commitments for GAVI's third replenishment conference, to be 
     held on June 4, 2020, hosted by the United Kingdom;
       (4) urges donor countries and private sector partners to 
     step up the fight against vaccine-preventable deaths and 
     increase their pledges for the third replenishment 
     conference;
       (5) urges GAVI partner countries to continue to make and 
     meet ambitious co-financing commitments to sustain progress 
     in ending vaccine-preventable deaths; and
       (6) encourages the United States Agency for International 
     Development (USAID) and the Centers for Disease Control and 
     Prevention, in cooperation with GAVI, to continue their work 
     to strengthen public health capacity to introduce and sustain 
     the use of new and underused vaccines in routine immunization 
     programs.

                          ____________________