,,iv #aacth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,,res4 #fhh ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,july #be1 #bjad ,ms4 ,mc,collum 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,reichert1 ,mr4 ,engel1 ,mr4 ,crenshaw1 ,ms4 ,bass1 ,mr4 ,diaz-,balart1 ,ms4 ,lee of ,california1 ,mr4 ,fitzpatrick1 ,mr4 ,smith of ,washington1 ,mr4 ,mc,caul1 ,ms4 ,esty1 ,mr4 ,mc,henry1 ,ms4 ,speier1 ,mr4 ,ross1 ,mr4 ,mc,dermott1 ,mr4 ,hall1 ,mr4 ,levin1 ,mr4 ,schock1 and ,ms4 ,roybal-,allard7 submitted the following resolution2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs ,,resolution ,supporting the role of the ,united ,states in ensuring children in poor countries have access to vaccines and immunization through the ,,gavi ,alliance4 ,whereas prior to #bjjj1 the distribution of and the resources for vaccines for children in the developing world were declining1 immunization rates were stagnant or decreasing and nearly #cj1jjj1jjj children born in the developing world each year were not fully immunized2 ,whereas prior to #bjjj1 it was common for new life-saving vaccines to take up to #ae years to be introduced in the world's poorest countries2 ,whereas access to routine immunization and vaccines protect children from deadly but preventable disease and contribute to national economic growth and poverty reduction by ensuring people live longer1 healthier1 and more productive lives2 ,whereas in #bjjj1 the ,bill ,melinda ,gates ,foundation1 the ,united ,states1 the ,united ,nations ,children's ,emergency ,fund 7,,unicef71 the ,world ,health ,organization1 the ,world ,bank1 bilateral partners1 developing countries1 the private sector1 including the vaccine industry1 civil society1 and other partners joined forces to create a public-private partnership called the ,global ,fund for ,children's ,vaccine 7now the ,,gavi ,alliance7 in order to expand access to new and underused vaccines and support the introduction and scale-up of these vaccines into routine immunization systems in the world's poorest countries2 ,whereas partnership and sustainability are at the core of the ,,gavi ,alliance model by requiring ,,gavi-eligible countries to contribute financing to some portion of their vaccine costs and directly invest in immunizing their children2 ,whereas by #bjab1 more than #fe developing countries working with the ,,gavi ,alliance were co-financing new and underused vaccines funded by the ,,gavi ,alliance and more than #bj countries are projected to graduate between #bjaf and #bjbj1 moving toward fully funding their national immunization programs2 ,whereas the ,,gavi ,alliance has transformed the market for vaccines by pooling demand from developing countries matched with secure1 predictable financing to make vaccines more affordable and supply more reliable1 and encouraging research and development of new vaccines2 ,whereas as a result1 the ,,gavi ,alliance has played a critical role in increasing the number of global vaccine manufacturers selling to the world's poorest countries from #e in #bjja to #ac in #bjad2 ,whereas the price for the pneumococcal vaccine1 which prevents pneumonia1 is now more than #ij percent lower for ,,gavi-eligible countries1 and the price of rotavirus vaccines1 which prevents diarrhea1 is #fg percent lower in ,,gavi-eligible countries2 ,whereas with innovative financing mechanisms like the ,advance ,market ,commitment and ,international ,finance ,facility for ,immunisation 7,i,f,f,im71 the ,,gavi ,alliance ensures that appropriate and affordable vaccines are available throughout the developing world2 ,whereas the ,,gavi ,alliance supports the financing and delivery of #aa vaccines1 including those against pneumococcal disease and rotavirus1 the leading vaccine-preventable causes of pneumonia and diarrhea1 which kill more children under the age of #e than any other disease2 ,whereas the ,,gavi ,alliance collaborates closely with the ,global ,polio ,eradication ,initiative on the final push to end polio1 strengthening and bringing the inactivated polio vaccine into routine immunization programs2 ,whereas strong immunization systems are critical to ensuring continuous coverage and sustainability of polio1 new and routine immunization programs in implementing countries2 ,whereas the ,,gavi ,alliance supports the strengthening of health systems and local civil society organizations to ensure effective immunization and health services2 ,whereas since #bjjj1 with support from the ,united ,states1 the ,bill ,melinda ,gates ,foundation1 ,,unicef1 the ,world ,health ,organization1 the ,world ,bank1 implementing countries1 donor governments1 the private sector1 and other donors and partners1 the ,,gavi ,alliance has supported country-led vaccine roll outs in #gg countries to support the immunization of an additional #ddj1jjj1jjj children and will avert an estimated #f1jjj1jjj deaths in the world's poorest countries2 ,whereas in #bjac1 the ,,gavi ,alliance was ranked the second most transparent aid program in the ,aid ,transparency ,index1 behind only the ,millennium ,challenge ,corporation2 ,whereas even with significant contributions by the ,,gavi ,alliance1 only a small percentage of young children worldwide receive all #aa life-saving vaccines universally recommended by the ,world ,health ,organization2 ,whereas vaccines are widely regarded as one of the 8best buys0 in global health and recognized as one of the most efficient1 cost-effective1 and successful health initiatives in history2 ,whereas in #bjab1 leading experts on health economics ranked childhood immunization as #a of the #c most cost-effective solutions to advance global health2 ,whereas as one of the initial #f donors1 the ,united ,states has been an important supporter of the ,,gavi ,alliance and through the generosity of the people of the ,united ,states has contributed almost #a1bjj1jjj1jjj for the acquisition of life saving vaccines2 ,whereas at the ,,gavi ,alliance's first pledging conference in ,june #bjaa1 the ,united ,states increased its support and pledged #dej1jjj1jjj for fiscal years #bjab through #bjad to increase access to new and underused vaccines1 including pneumococcal and rotavirus vaccines2 ,whereas in addition to this #c-year pledge1 the ,united ,states contributed an additional #ij1jjj1jjj to the ,,gavi ,alliance in fiscal year #bjaa2 ,whereas ,united ,states investment in the ,,gavi ,alliance complements and enhances the effectiveness of other bilateral and multilateral ,united ,states investments in global health1 particularly in child survival2 ,whereas the ,,gavi ,alliance is committed to working with partners1 including ,united ,states bilateral programs run by the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development 7,,usaid7 and the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention 7,,cdc71 to ensure children in developing nations have access to vaccines and immunizations2 ,whereas in ,june #bjab1 the ,united ,states ,government1 together with the ,governments of ,ethiopia and ,india as well as ,,unicef1 mobilized the world around the goal of ending preventable child deaths by #bjce2 ,whereas access to immunizations is a key component of reaching that goal2 ,whereas in ,may #bjad1 at the ,world ,economic ,forum meeting in ,abuja1 ,nigeria1 ,african leaders pledged to increase investment in their countries' immunization programs by endorsing the ,immunise ,africa #bjbj leaders declaration2 ,whereas1 on ,may #bj1 #bjad1 the ,,gavi ,alliance called on donors to support an ambitious plan to immunize an additional #cjj1jjj1jjj children against potentially fatal diseases and save an additional #e1jjj1jjj to #f1jjj1jjj lives between #bjaf and #bjbj2 ,whereas the ,,gavi ,alliance needs donors to invest an additional #g1ejj1jjj1jjj to support developing countries' immunization programs from #bjaf to #bjbj2 ,whereas at the same time1 implementing countries are expected to co-finance an additional #a1bjj1jjj1jjj1 an increase from almost #ejj1jjj1jjj in #bjaa through #bjae2 and ,whereas with this support from donors and the global vaccine community1 the ,,gavi ,alliance can reach its #a1jjj1jjj1jjjth child with critical vaccines by the early #bjbjs1 nearly double the number of lives saved since its founding and unlock between #hj1jjj1jjj1jjj to #ajj1jjj1jjj1jjj in economic benefits through health care savings and productivity gains3 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that the ,house of ,representatives-- 7#a7 commends the ,,gavi ,alliance1 the ,bill and ,melinda ,gates ,foundation1 the ,united ,nations ,children's ,emergency ,fund 7,,unicef71 the ,world ,health ,organization1 the ,world ,bank1 civil society1 the private sector1 faith-based organizations1 the international community1 and implementing countries on the progress that has been made on reducing child mortality through the increased availability and distribution of vaccines2 7#b7 affirms the ,united ,states continued support for the purchase of vaccines for poor countries through the ,,gavi ,alliance as a cost-effective1 efficient means to reduce child mortality and as a critical component of meeting the ,united ,states goal to end preventable maternal and child deaths2 7#c7 supports the ideals and goals of the ,,gavi ,alliance-- 7,a7 accelerate equitable uptake and coverage of vaccines2 7,b7 improve the effectiveness and efficiency of immunization delivery2 7,c7 improve sustainability of national immunization programs2 and 7,d7 shape markets for vaccines and other immunization products2 7#d7 upholds that the ,united ,states is a critical donor in its work with other donors to perform diplomatic outreach in seeking additional funding for the ,,gavi ,alliance in order to leverage its commitment2 7#e7 recognizes that the ,united ,states1 in addition to being an important donor1 is a critical technical partner to the ,,gavi ,alliance and the impact of ,united ,states investments to the ,,gavi ,alliance is leveraged by providing direct technical assistance to implementing countries and global bodies2 7#f7 encourages the continued use of ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development 7,,usaid7 maternal and child health and ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention 7,,cdc7 global immunization resources to strengthen local public health capacity to introduce and sustain new and underutilized vaccines1 that are supported by the ,,gavi ,alliance1 through routine immunization systems2 and 7#g7 encourages continued commitment and investment by the ,united ,states ,government and international donors1 through the ,,gavi ,alliance1 to the global effort to ensure that children in developing nations have access to vaccines and immunizations4