"Bill Gates is urging Congress to renew America's commitment to foreign aid, warning that funding cuts risk reversing decades of progress in global health. The Microsoft co-founder noted U.S. spending has halved childhood deaths worldwide over the past 25 years, and pledged nearly all his wealth to the Gates Foundation to continue that mission. While DOGE-led cuts have been controversial, Gates remains optimistic that even modest U.S. contributions can save millions more lives."
"Since 2001, Pew Research estimates the U.S. has spent between 0.7% and 1.4% of its GDP on foreign aid. In 2023, the most recent figures obtained by Pew, that number stood at $71.9 billion and 1.2% of federal outlays. These funds have gone towards everything from fighting diseases like polio and TB through to environmental and educational projects in nations around the world."
""So this crisis is that some people are saying 'Hey, even that 1% should we do that or not?' And I'm saying, 'listen to the people who go out and see the work.' We shouldn't have this be the first year that more children die than the year before," Gates told CBS Mornings in an interview aired yesterday. "We should continue"
Congress is urged to renew and strengthen U.S. commitment to foreign aid to avoid reversing decades of global health gains. U.S. foreign aid spending has helped halve childhood mortality worldwide over the past 25 years. Almost all personal wealth has been pledged to a foundation to sustain global health and development efforts. Recent cost-cutting actions have removed billions from aid budgets, raising concerns that even modest contributions are at risk. Since 2001, U.S. foreign aid has ranged from 0.7% to 1.4% of GDP, totaling $71.9 billion and 1.2% of federal outlays in 2023. Aid supports disease control, environmental programs, and education in low-income countries.
Read at Fortune
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]