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Major Issues
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International Health
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Other Foreign Policy Efforts
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Senator Leahy has long felt that far more needs to be done to increase
funding to improve health care in poor countries. In an increasingly
interdependent world, reducing the threats of infectious diseases,
such as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, and the social and economic
consequences of illness, is a key to our own security and
prosperity.
International health programs also help to combat the spread of
biological agents, such as anthrax, that are used in acts of terrorism.
These programs strengthen the public health capacity in developing
countries to conduct surveillance and respond to disease outbreaks that
today are only an airplane trip away from many U.S. airports. As
the Chairman of the Foreign Operations
Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Leahy has been engaged
in issues of international health and nutrition for many years.
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Millions of children's lives could be
saved each year through improved preventive and treatment
measures, including better access to vaccines and other
inexpensive health interventions. The health disparities
between children living in the world's wealthiest nations
and those living in the poorest are deplorable.
Every year Senator Leahy works to increase funding
to combat diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis,
river blindness, and measles which afflict millions of
children worldwide. During the 1990s, he spearheaded an
infectious disease initiative which has provided hundreds of
millions of dollars in additional funding to combat the
deadliest diseases and to build the capacity of developing
countries to conduct disease surveillance and reduce drug
resistance. Much work still needs to be done, and the
leadership of the United States is essential.
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Sen. Leahy has worked with musician
Bono of U2 to raise awareness of the growing AIDS
epidemic in Africa and around the world.
Through Sen. Leahy's efforts, the government has
allocated millions of dollars in funding to combat
disease and poverty around the world. |
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Statements Of Sen. Patrick Leahy
Concerning Global Health
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Opening
Statement Of Sen. Patrick Leahy, Chairman, State,
Foreign Operations Subcommittee Hearing, FY08 Budget
Request For Maternal And Child Health, And Family
Planning/Reproductive Health April 18, 2007
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Statement Of
Sen. Patrick Leahy, Chairman, Appropriations
Subcommittee On State And Foreign Operations, On H.J.
Res. 20, The Revised Continuing Appropriations
Resolution For FY 2007 February 8, 2007
Read a complete list of Sen.
Leahy's foreign policy statements.
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