,,iv #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,,res4 #hfa ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,february #ba1 #bjbj,ms4 ,mc,collum 7for herself1 ,mrs4 ,brooks of ,indiana1 ,ms4 ,lee of ,california1 ,mr4 ,fitzpatrick1 ,mr4 ,smith of ,washington1 and ,mr4 ,yoho7 submitted the following resolution2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs ,,resolution ,supporting the role of the ,united ,states in helping save the lives of children and protecting the health of people in poor countries with vaccines and immunization through the ,,gavi ,alliance4 ,whereas1 prior to #bjjj1 the distribution of and the resources for vaccines for children in the developing world were declining1 immunization rates were stagnant or decreasing1 and nearly #aj1jjj1jjj children died each year before reaching their #eth birthday2 ,whereas1 prior to #bjjj1 it was common for new lifesaving vaccines to take up to #ae years to be introduced in the world's poorest countries2 ,whereas access to routine immunization and vaccines protects children from deadly but preventable disease and contributes to national economic growth and poverty reduction by ensuring people live longer1 healthier1 and more productive lives2 ,whereas1 in #bjjj1 the ,bill ,melinda ,gates ,foundation1 the ,united ,states1 the ,united ,nations ,children's ,fund1 the ,world ,health ,organization1 the ,world ,bank1 government donors1 developing countries1 the private sector 7including the vaccine industry71 faith-based organizations1 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 scaleup of these vaccines into routine immunization systems in the world's poorest countries2 ,whereas1 since #bjjj1 with support from the ,united ,states1 and other donors and partners1 the ,,gavi ,alliance has supported country-led vaccine initiatives in #gc countries to support the immunization of more than #gfj1jjj1jjj additional children and will avert an estimated #ac1jjj1jjj deaths in the world's poorest countries2 ,whereas the financing of vaccines by the ,,gavi ,alliance has been a major factor in reducing the number of deaths due to vaccine preventable disease by as much as #gj percent since #bjjj2 ,whereas country ownership and sustainability are at the core of the ,,gavi ,alliance model1 which requires ,,gavi-eligible countries to contribute domestic financing to a portion of their vaccine costs and directly invest in immunizing their children2 ,whereas #gc developing countries working with the ,,gavi ,alliance have cofinanced new and underused vaccines supported by the ,,gavi ,alliance1 more than #ah countries will have transitioned from ,,gavi support by the end of #bjbj1 and a further #aj countries 7#dj percent of the original set of ,,gavi-eligible countries7 are projected to transition during ,,gavi's next strategic cycle between #bjba and #bjbe1 moving toward fully funding their immunization programs2 ,whereas the ,,gavi ,alliance has transformed the market for vaccines by matching pooled demand from developing countries with secure1 predictable financing to make vaccines more affordable and supply more reliable1 which will result in savings of over #ijj1jjj1jjj from #bjba to #bjbe1 and encouraging research and development of new vaccines2 ,whereas 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 #ag in #bjah2 ,whereas the ,,gavi ,alliance is poised to provide the most comprehensive package of support in the #bjba-bjbe period by financing and delivering #ah vaccines to the world's poorest countries2 ,whereas the ,,gavi ,alliance collaborates 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 programs in health systems are needed to implement additional polio protection2 ,whereas the ,,gavi ,alliance has made significant progress in supporting the development and stockpiling of an effective vaccine to combat ,ebola2 ,whereas the ,,gavi ,alliance is participating in efforts to test and implement an effective vaccine to prevent malaria1 a disease that kills more than #ejj1jjj children a year2 ,whereas the ,,gavi ,alliance supports the strengthening of health systems to ensure effective immunization and health services2 ,whereas even with significant progress in increasing immunization coverage through the ,,gavi ,alliance support1 #ai1djj1jjj children annually in lower income countries still miss out on a full course of the most basic vaccines2 ,whereas the cumulative effects of population growth1 displacement1 and increasing fragility1 coupled with those of recurrent disease outbreaks1 are threatening hard-won gains and increase the risk of backsliding2 ,whereas outbreaks risk jeopardizing the achievements of national routine immunization programs1 and given the enormous increase in human mobility1 threaten global health security2 ,whereas vaccines are widely regarded as a high-impact1 evidence-based intervention and are known as one of the best buys in global health and recognized as one of the most efficient1 cost-effective1 and successful health initiatives in history2 ,whereas the prevention of infectious disease through immunization in ,,gavi-eligible countries provides protection and health security in the ,united ,states2 ,whereas ,united ,states investment in the ,,gavi ,alliance complements and enhances the effectiveness of other ,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 and the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention to ensure children in developing nations have access to vaccines and immunizations2 ,whereas access to vaccines is an essential part of ending preventable childhood deaths and preventing other fatal diseases2 ,whereas1 in ,august #bjai1 the ,,gavi ,alliance called on donors to support an ambitious plan to immunize an additional #cjj1jjj1jjj children against potentially fatal diseases between #bjba and #bjbe1 and save an additional #g1jjj1jjj to #h1jjj1jjj lives2 ,whereas ,,gavi-eligible countries are expected to contribute #c1fjj1jjj1jjj of their own domestic funding toward their vaccine programs in the ,,gavi ,alliance's #bjba-bjbe strategic period1 more than doubling their funding from the #a1fjj1jjj1jjj contributed during the #bjae-bjbj period2 ,whereas the third ,,gavi replenishment conference will be held in ,june #bjbj hosted by the ,united ,kingdom to obtain funding commitments to support the organization's programs from #bjba to #bjbe2 ,whereas the ,,gavi ,alliance needs donors to invest at least an additional #g1djj1jjj1jjj for its third replenishment cycle to support developing countries' immunization programs from #bjba to #bjbe2 ,whereas the ,united ,states has consistently supported the goal of saving lives by contributing to the ,,gavi ,alliance to meet its projected replenishment and program goals2 ,whereas the ,united ,states has made contributions to the ,,gavi ,alliance in the amount of #bij1jjj1jjj in each of fiscal years #bjah and #bjai1 and has appropriated this amount for fiscal year #bjbj2 ,whereas with this support and support from other donors1 the ,,gavi ,alliance will have contributed to saving more than #bj1jjj1jjj lives by the end of #bjbe and unlocked between #hj1jjj1jjj to #ajj1jjj1jjj in economic benefits through health care savings and productivity gains2 and ,whereas a strong commitment from the ,united ,states remains necessary to ensure predictability and stability to the vaccine market1 to enable strong global health security efforts1 spur confidence in ,,gavi-eligible countries1 and encourage continued innovative vaccine-related approaches3 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that the ,house of ,representatives-- 7#a7 affirms the ,united ,states continued support for the purchase of vaccines for developing countries through the ,,gavi ,alliance as a cost-effective1 efficient means to reduce mortality and as a critical component of meeting the ,united ,states goal to end preventable maternal and child deaths2 7#b7 supports the principles and goals of the ,,gavi ,alliance to-- 7,a7 introduce and scale up immunization2 7,b7 improve sustainability of immunization programs2 7,c7 ensure healthy markets for vaccines and related products2 and 7,d7 strengthen health systems to increase equity in immunization2 7#c7 recognizes that the ,united ,states ,government support to the ,,gavi ,alliance is a critical component to ensuring health security in the ,united ,states2 7#d7 encourages the continued use of ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development maternal and child health and ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention 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 7#e7 recognizes the need for multiyear pledges from the ,united ,states to allow ,,gavi to maximize its impact to provide lifesaving vaccines and to leverage contributions from other countries and donors2 and 7#f7 encourages continued commitment and investment at least at the current appropriated funding level by the ,united ,states ,government to the ,,gavi ,alliance in the #bjba-bjbe ,,gavi ,alliance strategic period in order to ensure that lives are protected and saved through access to vaccines and immunizations4