US lawmakers seek release of $7.5 billion in international-affairs funding

Washington, Aug 28 (SocialNews.XYZ) A bipartisan group of 138 US lawmakers has demanded that the Trump administration release about $7.5 billion in international-affairs funding, warning that delays could contribute to nearly 170,000 preventable deaths and deprive 22.9 million children of nutrition products.

The lawmakers said the money remains unobligated and could expire on September 30. It includes more than $3 billion appropriated by Congress for global-health programmes.

Congressmen James Walkinshaw and Gabe Amo, Congresswoman Robin Kelly and Senator Edward Markey led the bicameral letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought.

The lawmakers called for the immediate release of funding for programmes addressing HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, maternal and child health, malnutrition and emerging health threats.

They said approximately $1.35 billion was being withheld to meet costs associated with closing the US Agency for International Development rather than being used for the health programmes authorised by Congress.

The Office of Management and Budget had informed Congress about the planned use of the money, according to the letter.

The lawmakers estimated that allowing the funding to expire could contribute to 121,000 deaths from tuberculosis and 47,600 deaths from malaria.

They said lifesaving nutrition products could also become unavailable to 22.9 million children.

“This hardship can be prevented if the Administration spends these funds as Congress directed,” the lawmakers wrote.

They argued that the administration had a legal obligation to use appropriated money for the purposes approved by Congress.

The letter also raised concerns about proposed changes to the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, known as PEPFAR.

The lawmakers said PEPFAR had saved more than 26 million lives through HIV treatment and prevention programmes.

They warned that reducing the role of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could disrupt treatment, weaken international disease surveillance and diminish America’s ability to contain outbreaks before they reach the United States.

The lawmakers accused the State Department and the budget office of failing to spend global-health funding as directed by Congress. They said the proposed PEPFAR changes could threaten lives in the United States and overseas.

Rubio and Vought were asked to provide answers by September 9.

The lawmakers want details of the administration’s plans to release the remaining money before the end of the fiscal year.

They also sought information about the cost of terminating USAID programmes and the public-health consequences of reducing the CDC’s role in PEPFAR.

The letter asked the administration to explain how much of the international-affairs funding would be used for USAID closure expenses and under what authority.

The congressional announcement did not include a response from the State Department, the Office of Management and Budget or the White House.

Failure to obligate the money by September 30 could cause the funds to expire, preventing agencies from using them unless Congress provides new authority or appropriations.

PEPFAR was created under President George W. Bush in 2003 to address the global HIV/AIDS epidemic. It supports treatment, testing and prevention programmes through partnerships with governments, health agencies and community organisations, particularly in Africa.

USAID was established in 1961 as the principal US agency administering civilian foreign assistance. Its programmes have historically included humanitarian relief, food security, economic development, disaster assistance and initiatives combating infectious diseases and maternal and childhood mortality.

Source: IANS