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Over 100 House Democrats Call on Trump Administration to Reverse its Dangerous Opposition to Global Health Cooperation

October 14, 2020

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks), Congresswoman Judy Chu and Congressman Jim McGovern led a group of over 100 House members in sending a letter to the Trump Administration opposing its dangerous moves to scale back global health cooperation both before and during the pandemic.

The Members urged the Trump Administration to reverse course and pursue additional initiatives to ensure that a COVID-19 vaccine and treatments are available as quickly as possible; to support contact tracing efforts, care for the sick, and global economic recovery; as well as to promote international coordination to establish resilient supply chains.

The Trump Administration has walked away from decades-long global health arrangements between the U.S. and others in the international community established under initiatives from the Bush and Obama Administrations, which bolstered successful international efforts to combat outbreaks of disease including SARS, H1N1, and Ebola.

"The Trump administration's approach to international health cooperation is simply reckless," said Congressman Sherman. "100 Members of Congress joined me today in calling for renewed cooperation with the international community to address the current crisis and future pandemics."

Americans strongly support global health cooperation, according to recent polls, and the majority of Americans agree that we should continue to work with the World Health Organization, as well as favor cooperation with China to combat the pandemic.

The letter was signed by more than 100 Democrats in the House of Representatives, including more than 20 House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) members. Signers include HFAC Chair Eliot Engel, Rep. Karen Bass, Chair of the Africa and Global Health Subcommittee, and Rep. Ami Bera, Chair of the Asia and Pacific Subcommittee.

Read the Letter Here.

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