Recent news
September 2011
GHTC members urge Congress to preserve international affairs budget
September 21, 2011 -- GHTC members were among the 129 organizations that placed an “Open Letter to Congress” in the September 20th edition of Roll Call urging members of Congress to oppose further cuts to the International Affairs Budget. The letter highlighted the fact that while the International Affairs Budget represents only 1.4% of federal spending, it hugely benefits the US by “ensuring global development and stability; promoting our values through humanitarian action; and expanding markets for American businesses.”
In Fiscal Year 2011, the International Affairs Budget suffered drastic cuts—nearly 20% of all discretionary spending cuts for that fiscal year. Cuts to this vital budget will mean lives lost, decline of US leadership, and missed economic opportunities.
The International Affairs Budget includes critical programs that fuel global health research and development (R&D). GHTC Director Kaitlin Christenson has been vocal in recent interviews about the need to preserve funding for global health R&D at a time when the field is gaining crucial momentum.
“We really need to educate members of Congress about the value of this work and why it's important to protect it; why it's important in terms of an American value, in terms of security and economic impact here at home and the ability to save lives worldwide,” said Christenson.
- Read about Christenson’s interview with Nature Magazine here.
- Read about Christenson’s interview with BIO Ventures for Global Health here.
- Read GHTC’s web feature on how budget battles could impact global health R&D here.
