On the recordFebruary 16, 2011
I also rise in opposition to this amendment. As my ranking member, Mrs. Lowey from New York pointed out, the funding for international operations and programs in the CR is already below levels enacted under President Bush. This would cut it further. It means reductions to a fund for victims of torture, the Development Fund For Women, the U.N. Development Program, as well as two that I want to highlight in particular: UNICEF and the Democracy Fund. Since its founding in 1946, UNICEF has saved more children's lives than any humanitarian organization in the world. UNICEF works in 150 countries, literally saving children's lives, one of the best investments in foreign assistance dollars. Through global efforts spearheaded by UNICEF, child mortality rates have dropped by a third since 1990. Every year, 8 million children under 5 still perish from preventable causes. The funding contributed to UNICEF is urgently needed to help save these children. UNICEF reaches more than half of the world's children with inexpensive immunizations against lethal diseases like measles and tetanus. Annually, UNICEF distributes more than 2.6 billion doses of vaccines worth more than $600 million. UNICEF is one of the largest purchasers of anti-malaria bed nets, distributing 19 million of these lifesaving nets in 48 countries. Nearly a third of the funding for UNICEF comes from nongovernmental sources, businesses, and personal and foundation contributions.
