Statement by Pandemic Action Network Co-Founder, Carolyn Reynolds

“Once again, Congress is failing to advance urgently needed funding for the global COVID response, which means the U.S. will renege on its promises to vaccinate the world and save lives now. Refusing to treat COVID-19 as an active, deadly global emergency is a dereliction of U.S. leadership. The war in Ukraine and the global food crisis are clear and urgent needs — but so too is a global pandemic that continues to claim thousands of lives around the world each day. Every day funding for the global COVID response is delayed, more lives hang in the balance — and COVID will continue to pose a threat to Americans and to everyone on the planet. 

“Funding the global COVID response should not be constrained by partisan politics and deal-making. There has been a long-standing bipartisan commitment to U.S. global health and humanitarian response, and this issue should be no different. This should not even be a debate. Domestically and globally, we ignore the continuing COVID-19 crisis at our collective peril. There is no pandemic exit strategy for any country without a global strategy. We must push back against this dangerous inertia. Congress should act with the urgency that this crisis deserves and approve global COVID funding now.”

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