,,iii #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 ,,res4 #eaa ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,february #bg1 #bjbj,mr4 ,rubio 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,kaine1 ,ms4 ,collins1 ,ms4 ,cantwell1 and ,mrs4 ,shaheen7 submitted the following resolution2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations ,,resolution ,supporting the role of the ,united ,states in helping save the lives of children and protecting the health of people in developing countries with vaccines and immunization through ,,gavi1 the ,vaccine ,alliance4 ,whereas access to vaccines and routine immunizations can protect children from deadly but preventable diseases1 reduce poverty1 and contribute to economic growth by enabling people to live longer1 healthier1 and more productive lives2 ,whereas investments in the development and deployment of vaccines and immunizations can also help enhance global health security by reducing the incidence of deadly and debilitating diseases and containing the spread of infectious diseases before they become pandemic health threats2 ,whereas1 prior to #bjjj1 resources for and access to vaccines for children in the developing world were declining1 immunization rates were stagnant or decreasing1 and nearly #aj1jjj1jjj children were dying each year before reaching their fifth birthday2 ,whereas1 prior to #bjjj1 it was common for new life-saving vaccines to take up to #ae years to be introduced in the world's least developed countries2 ,whereas1 in #bjjj1 the ,united ,states ,government joined forces with the ,bill ,melinda ,gates ,foundation1 the ,united ,nations ,children's ,fund 7,,unicef71 the ,world ,health ,organization1 the ,world ,bank1 other donor governments1 and representatives of developing countries1 faith-based organizations1 civil society1 and the private sector1 including the vaccine industry1 to create the ,global ,alliance for ,vaccines and ,immunization 7now known as ,,gavi or ,,gavi1 the ,vaccine ,alliance71 a public-private partnership to expand access to new and underused vaccines1 reduce the incidence of deadly and debilitating diseases1 prevent epidemics1 and save lives2 ,whereas ,,gavi1 the ,vaccine ,alliance has since supported country-led vaccine initiatives in #gc countries1 enabled immunizations for more than #gfj1jjj1jjj of the world's most vulnerable children1 helped avert an estimated #ac1jjj1jjj deaths1 and contributed to a #gj-percent reduction in the number of deaths due to vaccine-preventable diseases2 ,whereas country ownership and sustainability are at the core of the ,,gavi model1 which requires each eligible country to commit their own domestic resources to vaccination and immunization programs2 ,whereas #ae countries have transitioned from ,,gavi support and are now self-financing their own vaccination and immunization programs1 three more are expected to transition by the end of #bjbj1 and an additional #aj countries are expected to transition by #bjbe 7in total1 #dj percent of the original set of ,,gavi-eligible countries72 ,whereas ,,gavi has transformed the market for vaccines by pooling demand from developing countries1 securing predictable financing1 expanding the global supplier base1 enhancing the competitiveness and security of supply chains1 and creating efficiencies that are expected to generate an estimated #ijj1jjj1jjj in savings between #bjba-bjbe2 ,whereas1 in addition to its current portfolio of vaccines1 ,,gavi is working to support the roll-out and scale-up of newly approved vaccines for diphtheria1 tetanus and pertussis 7,,dtp7 boosters1 hepatitis ,b birth dose1 multivalent meningococcal1 respiratory syncytia 7,,rsv71 routine oral cholera1 and rabies2 ,whereas ,,gavi also collaborates with the ,global ,polio ,eradication ,initiative to bring polio vaccines into routine immunization programs1 strengthen health systems1 and implement additional polio protections2 ,whereas ,,gavi has made significant progress in supporting the development and stockpiling of an effective vaccine to combat ,ebola2 ,whereas ,,gavi is participating in efforts to test and implement an effective vaccine to prevent malaria1 a disease that kills more than #bgj1jjj children a year2 ,whereas1 in ,june #bjbj1 the ,united ,kingdom will host ,,gavi's third replenishment conference1 with an ambitious goal to raise #g1djj1jjj1jjj in new donor commitments2 ,whereas1 with these additional resources1 ,,gavi plans to support the immunization of #cjj1jjj1jjj children against potentially fatal diseases and save an additional #g1jjj1jjj to #h1jjj1jjj lives between #bjba and #bjbe2 and ,whereas the ,united ,states has been a leading supporter of ,,gavi since its inception1 and its continued commitment will be essential to the achievement of the alliance's goals for #bjba-bjbe3 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that the ,senate-- 7#a7 commends the work of ,,gavi and its partners for their efforts to expand access vaccines and immunizations for the most vulnerable men1 women1 and children in developing countries2 7#b7 affirms the continued support of the ,united ,states ,government for ,,gavi as an efficient and effective mechanism to advance global health security and save lives by-- 7,a7 reducing the incidence of deadly and debilitating diseases2 7,b7 leveraging donor1 partner country1 and private sector investments in health systems capable of sustainably delivering vaccines and immunizations2 and 7,c7 reducing the cost of vaccines while promoting supply chain security and sustainability2 7#c7 affirms the support of the ,united ,states ,government for the goal of securing a minimum of #g1djj1jjj1jjj in donor commitments for ,,gavi's third replenishment1 to be held in ,june #bjbj in the ,united ,kingdom2 7#d7 urges donor countries and private sector partners to step up the fight and increase their pledges for the third replenishment2 7#e7 urges ,,gavi partner countries to continue to make and meet ambitious co-financing commitments to sustain progress in ending vaccine-preventable deaths2 and 7#f7 encourages the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development 7,,usaid7 and the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention1 in cooperation with ,,gavi1 to continue their work to strengthen public health capacity to introduce and sustain the use of new and underused vaccines in routine immunization programs4