Thank you, Senator Shaheen!
New Hampshire, celebrate our Senator Jeanne Shaheen, who, with Indiana Republican Todd Young, reintroduced the “End Tuberculosis Now Act,” bipartisan legislation making eliminating tuberculosis a U.S. foreign assistance priority.
Tuberculosis anywhere is TB everywhere. In recent years, rising global TB has been reflected in an increase in U.S. cases. But in addition, the new bill improves U.S. and international coordination and prioritization of research, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases. The bill also advances and modernizes U.S. engagement in the global fight to end TB, while strengthening health care systems, vital when pandemics threaten.
I have been so discouraged ever since Elon Musk, now the world’s first “trillionaire,” ended USAID, our country’s way of reaching out and helping the world through humanitarian assistance and development. USAID managed all our non-military foreign assistance, global public health programs such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, TB and polio, emergency disaster relief, famine detection, education and economic development in over 130 countries. It was our best public relations tool. It made us good citizens of the world. It also kept us safe.
The current regime ended it, leading to untold suffering, even as its warmongering destroys alliances at every turn, making us less safe.
The End TB Now Act is a start. Please thank Senator Shaheen and urge Senator Hassan to support this forward-thinking bill.