Republican Budget Cuts Would Kill 70,000 Children Worldwide, Says USAID Administrator

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The GOP’s budget would cause the deaths of at least 70,000 children around the world who rely on American funding, according to the government agency in charge of foreign aid. Of the 70,000 deaths, 30,000 would come from slashing malaria control programs, 24,000 from lack of immunizations and 16,000 from unsafe birthing practices.

“I believe these are very conservative estimates,” USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah told a House Appropriations subcommittee this week.

Read more, via US News and World Report.

U.S. Budget Cuts May Drastically Reduce Funding for Malaria Bed Nets and Treatment Programs

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Recently the House of Representatives passed a Continuing Resolution to fund the federal budget for the rest of the fiscal year 2011. The legislation slashes programs that save the lives of some of the poorest people on the planet. These programs have been championed by Republicans and Democrats in the past, but now some of the most cost-effective programs our government funds to help combat pandemic diseases and eliminate poverty are on the chopping block. [Read more…]