Rosa DeLauro: “Investing in kids, not defunding their education, is how we make our economy stronger and our future brighter.”

Circumventing Congress to divert money intended to help Americans who are exposed to HIV, influenza, tuberculosis, and other deadly diseases—and directing those funds to the Department of Defense—is beyond the pale.

These funds were provided for lifesaving medical research, not as extra money for the Department of Defense.

Not only is freezing the money in this proposal illegal, but the administration has also clearly been unlawfully impounding funds all year just to get to this point.

This $10 million federal investment will make a drastic difference in the lives of young people, ensuring that they have the science-backed tools needed to read proficiently.