Representatives Amo, Walkinshaw, Kelly, and Senator Markey Lead 134 Members in Defending Global Health Programs to Keep Americans Healthy and Save Lives Around the World
Trump’s refusal to spend funds as directed by Congress and dangerous proposed changes to PEPFAR defy congressional intent and threaten lives.
Washington, DC – Yesterday, Congressman Gabe Amo (D-RI), Congressman James Walkinshaw (D-VA), Congresswoman Robin Kelly (D-IL), and Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA) led 134 Members of Congress in demanding the Trump administration release international affairs funding, including Global Health Programs funding, before its expiration and stop proposed changes to the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
The unspent $7.5 billion in international affairs funding, including more than $3 billion for Global Health Programs, is set to expire on September 30, 2026. These funds provide most U.S. foreign health assistance, including funding to treat and prevent HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, and malnutrition. The Office of Management and Budget plans to use some of these funds to cover closeout costs for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which would contradict congressional intent and lead to preventable deaths.
Additionally, the State Department’s proposed changes to PEPFAR will reduce the ability to provide HIV treatment and prevention, increasing the risk of the spread of HIV while hindering the Centers for Disease Control’s ability to conduct disease surveillance and respond to outbreaks.
The Members write:
We write to express our alarm that approximately $7.5 billion in international affairs funding remains unobligated and at risk of expiring on September 30, 2026, including more than $3 billion of global health funding. These funds were enacted into law for specific purposes that support life-saving assistance, strengthen partners against shared threats, and reinforce American leadership, and the Administration has a legal obligation to execute such appropriations consistent with the law.
The Department and OMB’s refusal to spend GHP funding as directed by Congress and the concerning PEPFAR implementation changes defy the law and threaten lives—internationally and in the U.S.
“Last year, the Administration’s disruption of PEPFAR programs resulted in 2 million fewer patients receiving lifesaving treatment, including 77,000 children,” said Dr. Sheila Davis, Chief Executive Officer at Partners In Health. “The closure of over 1,700 clinics and staffing cuts have also contributed to a tragic increase in mother-to-child transmission of HIV, which we know how to prevent. Today, the State Department and Office of Management and Budget continue to withhold funding and disrupt critical programs addressing HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, maternal and child health, and other urgent health priorities. These funds were appropriated by Congress and signed into law by the President on a bipartisan basis. It is simply wrong to leave billions of dollars in duly approved funding unspent while patients around the world suffer the consequences. Partners In Health stands in solidarity with the patients and communities bearing the brunt of these policies. We are grateful to the members of Congress conducting oversight through this letter and other efforts to ensure these funds are released and lifesaving programs can continue.”
The full letter can be found here.
