Schatz Statement On Trump Administration Releasing $600 Million For Gavi To Provide Vaccines, Save Lives

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, released the following statement after Secretary of State Marco Rubio took steps to provide $600 million in funding provided by Congress for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. The funding will support Gavi's work to protect millions of children from preventable diseases, safeguard Americans from infectious disease threats, and ensure critical vaccine stockpiles – including for Ebola, cholera, and mpox – remain available. “Gavi is one of the most effective health partnerships in the world. This funding will help save lives around the world and protect Americans here at home by making vaccines available to those who need it and stopping the spread of preventable diseases. “While I’m glad the administration is finally following the law and taking the necessary steps to provide this funding, it must also release the billions of dollars in global health funding that it continues to withhold, wasting resources while people needlessly die and disease and hunger rapidly spread.” ###