Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2006
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2006 -- (House of Representatives - March 17, 2005)
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Mr. MEEKS of New York. Mr. Chairman, more needs to be done to address the ongoing global challenges of health, poverty, disease, and disasters so that we can end the inequities in foreign policy. Therefore, the CBC budget increases funding for these core development accounts with the overall goals of reducing poverty disparities and improving quality of life.
There is $3.7 billion in the CBC budget for global AIDS, which is $500 million more than the President's budget. That is an increase of $900 million from last year and will support prevention, care and treatment for thousands more people.
Foreign aid to Africa and the Caribbean is increased by $250 million in the Congressional Black Caucus budget to allow developing countries to participate in the global economy. These funds support strategic priorities in the Caribbean region, improve good governance and reduce corruption, increase economic growth and free trade and reduce narcotics trafficking.
Public health and preventable illness initiatives is increased by $250 million in the CBC budget. More than one-third of the children in Africa are malnourished. In the last 10 years, approximately 2 million children have been killed in armed conflicts.
AFRICA
Overall disparity-Nearly 1.3 billion people around the world live in poverty and do not have safe drinking water; more than one-third of the world's children are malnourished; within the last ten years, approximately two million children have been killed in armed conflicts, many after being forced to be child soldiers; many poor countries spend 30%-40% of their annual budgets on repaying their foreign-held debt (often more than they spend on health and education combined); and horrific conditions can lead individuals to become more disaffected and susceptible to recruitment by terrorist organizations.
ERADICATING HUNGER, POVERTY, AND DISEASES MUST BE A PRIORITY
HIV/AIDS Solution-AIDS is a global humanitarian disaster that demands robust leadership from the United States. According to the need based numbers advanced by UNAIDS, The Stop TB Partnership, and Roll back Malaria, we believe the US should provide $6.7 billion next year. And at least $1.5 billion in funding this year for the Global Fund to operate efficiently and effectively.
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