110+ NGOs Call on Congress to Appropriate Emergency Resources for Food Insecurity, Humanitarian Action & Global COVID-19 Response

Dear Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Schumer, Minority Leader McCarthy, Minority Leader McConnell, Chairwoman DeLauro, Chairman Leahy, Vice Chairman Shelby, and Ranking Member Granger:

As organizations that implement and support poverty-focused health, development, and humanitarian programs, we are deeply concerned by the intertwined global crises of COVID-19 and the dramatic rise in hunger and food insecurity exacerbated by the war in Ukraine. These twin crises require immediate U.S. global leadership and resources, without which we risk even greater humanitarian, social, and economic suffering and protracted political instability.

We call on Congress to appropriate $5 billion in emergency resources to address food insecurity and humanitarian crises exacerbated by the conflict in Ukraine and $5 billion for the global COVID-19 response.

We urge Congress to provide at least $5 billion in supplemental funding for urgent humanitarian, food security, and nutrition needs globally in addition to the already requested funds for Ukraine. Global food insecurity was dire prior to the war in Ukraine, driving wheat prices to unprecedented levels and causing global supply chain disruptions. The Horn of Africa and the Sahel were experiencing some of the worst droughts in decades, putting more than two million children at risk of starvation. Estimates suggest that the war in Ukraine could push an additional 40 million people into poverty and food insecurity globally. We welcome the extraordinary step taken on April 27, 2022, by USAID and USDA to fully draw down the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust to address these impacts. Still, more is needed quickly as food, treatment for malnutrition, fuel, and shipping costs continue to rise. Resources will take months to get to the field, let alone on people’s plates.  

We also urge Congress to immediately provide at least $5 billion for global COVID-19 response. Previously appropriated funds to address the global pandemic have been exhausted. Yet, there is still an urgent need to reduce senseless deaths and preventable negative health consequences from COVID-19, especially in low- and middle-income countries. The primary and secondary impacts of COVID-19 continue to threaten a decade of U.S. foreign assistance investments. In several countries, twice as many women and children have died due to disruptions to the health system as they have due to COVID-19. Unless we act now, the global response will falter and leave the world prone to the emergence of new variants that will increase costs as we face the need for boosters, overburdened health systems, and other challenges of a prolonged pandemic. At least $5 billion in additional resources is urgently needed to deliver vaccinations and other life-saving interventions and support for frontline healthcare workers to bring this pandemic to an end.

The global shocks of the food insecurity crisis and the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 are compounding global humanitarian emergencies. We urge Congress to meet the gravity of this moment by providing $5 billion in emergency resources to address food insecurity and humanitarian crisis exacerbated by the conflict in Ukraine, and an additional $5 billion for the global COVID-19 response. 

Sincerely,

Undersigned Organizations

1,000 Days
Academic Pediatric Association
Action Against Hunger
ADRA International
Advancing Synergy
Alliance for Peacebuilding
Alliance to End Hunger
American Academy of Pediatrics
American Jewish World Service
American Pediatric Society
American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Amref Health Africa
Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairs
AVAC
Be a Hero
Better World Campaign
Bread for the World
CARE
Center for Global Health Innovation
Christian Connections for International Health
Church World Service
Concern Worldwide US
Corus International
Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), North America
Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Ex-Miners Association of Malawi
Fast-Track Cities Institute
Food for the Hungry
Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
Friends of UNFPA
GAIA Global Health
Global Citizen
Global Communities
Global Health Council
Global Health Technologies Coalition
Global Network of Black People Working in HIV
GOAL USA
Health GAP
Helen Keller Intl
HelpAge USA
HIAS
HIV Medicine Association
Humanity & Inclusion
Humentum
IAVI
Infectious Diseases Society of America
InterAction
International Association of Providers of AIDS Care
International Medical Corps
Internews
IntraHealth International
IPAS
Islamic Relief USA
John Snow, Inc. (JSI)
Kids in Need of Defense (KIND)
Last Mile Health
Management Sciences for Health
MAP International
Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
Medical Impact
Mennonite Central Committee U.S.
Mercy Corps
National Cooperative Business Association CLUSA International
NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice
North Carolina Global Health Alliance
Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) USA
ONE
One Acre Fund
Oxfam America
PAI
Pandemic Action Network
Partners in Health
PATH
Pathfinder International
Physicians for Peace
Plan International USA
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
PrEP4All
Presbyterian Church (USA)
Public Citizen
R2H Action [Right to Health]
Refugees International
RESULTS
Sabin Vaccine Institute
Save the Children
Shot@Life
Solidarity Center
Southern African Miners Association (SAMA)
SPOON
Stop TB USA
Swaziland Migrant Mineworkers Association (SWAMMIWA)
The Borgen Project
The Campaign to End Covid Now
The Episcopal Church
The Task Force for Global Health
Together Women Rise
Training for Health Equity Network: THEnet
UNICEF USA
United Church of Christ, Justice and Local Church Ministries
United Nations Association of the USA
United to Beat Malaria
University Research & Co., LLC
UNRWA USA
Water for South Sudan, Inc
WaterAid America
Women for Women International
Women’s Refugee Commission
World Learning
World Vision
Wote Youth Development Projects