After Months of Pressure from Senator Shaheen, Administration Finally Releases Global Health Funds to Vaccinate Children and Prevent Global Outbreaks

**After pressing both Secretaries Rubio and Kennedy on the stalled distribution, Shaheen helped facilitate the release of $600 million in Congressional appropriations to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance** (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, celebrated the release of $600 million in Congressionally-appropriated funds for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, that was previously withheld by U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Shaheen facilitated negotiations between HHS and Gavi to help achieve this outcome and sustained public pressure on the Administration to end their blockade of life-saving resources. “I am glad that the Administration finally announced it would release the $600 million Congress directed to Gavi, ending a months-long, unnecessary stalemate based on baseless obstructionism from Secretary Kennedy. Gavi supports American manufacturing jobs, it helps prevent outbreaks from reaching the United States’ shores and it strengthens global health; since its founding, it has prevented more than 20 million deaths. This resolution, despite being long overdue, is welcome news for global health security,” said Senator Shaheen. “In the context of a raging Ebola epidemic that is growing, this funding is urgently needed to support efforts led by Gavi to enable mass production of a vaccine to treat this lethal strain of Ebola that currently has no cure. I look forward to continuing to conduct rigorous oversight to ensure that the Department of State obligates all $600 million as intended.” In April, Shaheen demanded answers from U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as to why crucial global health vaccine funding has not been delivered despite being appropriated by Congress. Specifically, highlighting that millions of children could die if the funding wasn’t fulfilled , Shaheen pressed Secretary Kennedy about whether he was knowingly blocking funding that helps vaccinate millions of children and prevents global health outbreaks. Secretary Kennedy agreed to appoint someone to work with Gavi and Shaheen’s office to reach a solution. In May, Shaheen led a group of bipartisan lawmakers urging the State Department to restore U.S. contributions to Gavi . Last month, Shaheen again raised the issue with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the context of the current Ebola outbreak, to which Gavi has committed up to $40 million for promising vaccine candidates. Secretary Rubio expressed that he would like to re-engage in resolving the funding impasse. ###