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Congressman Donald M. Payne of New Jersey has introduced legislation, H. Res. 20, urging the Administration to provide additional U.S. assistance to eradicate polio, in much the same way that smallpox was eliminated from the world in 1979. Noting that the end of polio is within our grasp, Payne said he introduced the legislation with the goal of “ending the disease in our time.”
“It is time for the United States to once again step forward and share its technology and resources to solve a human dilemma,” Payne said. “We are so close to eliminating polio, and this goal can be accomplished if we dedicate the necessary resources to our mission.
Just as the United States demonstrated leadership in terms of developing the Salk and Sabin polio vaccines of the early 1960s, again today we must show commitment to preventing further human suffering,” Representative Payne said.
“There is a funding gap of $275 million to address this urgent medical need,” Payne continued. “Such an investment would be a small price to free the world from one of the most debilitating diseases in history. It would also send a signal to the world that the United States remains strongly committed to humanitarian efforts around the globe, not only in eliminating polio, but in erasing HIV/AIDS and other devastating diseases.”
In addition to bipartisan sponsorship from members of Congress, the legislation enjoys support from a number of non-profit and community organizations.
Earlier this month, Congressman Payne convened a widely attended press conference and briefing on his legislation. Among the participants were Representative Michael McNaulty of New York; Representative Elijah Cummings of Maryland; Representative Donna Christensen of the Virgin Islands; Former Congressman Louis Stokes; County Executive for Albany County New York, Mike Breslin; Former President of Rotary International, James Lacy; Rotary International Press Officer, Vivian Fiore; President Elect Jonathan Majiyagbe, Rotary International; Dr. Nelle Temple Brown, World Health Organization; Dr. Bruce Aylward, World Health Organization (Geneva); Ali Khedery, Gates Foundation; Diana Lee, Department of State; Ellyn Ogden, U.S. Agency for International Development; Former Senator Tim Wirth, President of U.N. Foundation; Dr. Walter Orenstein, Assistant Surgeon General for Public Health, Department of Health and Human Services; Jama Gulaid, UNICEF; Ambassador Djibril Aminu, Nigeria; Asad Hayauddin and Faruk Amil of Pakistan; Arzo Mansur of Afghanistan; Fesseha Tessema and Eskinder Belache of Ethiopia; Mohamadou Mbodf and Ambassador Djibril Aminu of Nigeria; Dr. Dajlit Singh of India.; Zeno St. Cur of the Department of Health and Human Resources; Steve Strickland of the U.N. Foundation; Stacey Balou of USAID; Pam Jackson and Andrew Brecher of Capitol Associates; and Mary Rendon and Maria Costales of UNICEF. |
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