RESULTS Texas Newsletter - January 2015

Tuesday, January 27, 2015 - USAID Press Office

BERLIN - The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced today that the U.S. Government will commit $1 billion over FY 2015-2018 to Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, subject to Congressional approval. The U.S. contribution will support Gavi’s plan to immunize 300 million additional children and save at least 5 million lives by 2020. Providing new and underutilized vaccines to the world's poorest countries is a key driver in ending preventable child deaths by 2035.

Working closely with host country governments, Ministries of Health and Finance, and in-country and global Alliance partners, USAID is bringing its financial, technical, and diplomatic efforts together to support country immunization programs to reach all children with critical, safe vaccines.

"GAVI represents a groundbreaking effort that has unified a global community of partners -- from rural clinics to multinational corporations -- in the fight to end the tragedy of preventable child death," said USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah. "In doing so, we are strengthening our own national security, economic prosperity, and moral leadership."

How RESULTS volunteers across America made this possible:

· Motivated 115 members of Congress to cosponsor bipartisan resolutions on vaccines and Gavi.

· Inspired 40 members of Congress to sign or send letters President Obama calling for a strong multi-year pledge.

· Published over 24 editorials & columns, 13 news features, 30 op-eds, and 118 letters-to-the-editor in 30 states.

How did RESULTS Texas participate?

· 2 editorials, 1 op-ed, and 12 letters to the editor published in newspapers in 6 cities

· 17 meetings face-to-face with our Members of Congress to discuss Gavi

· 30 meetings with Congressional staff to discuss Gavi

· A call-in-day to our two Senators

· A call-in-day to President Obama

· Countless phone calls and emails to the offices of Congress

· Two fundraisers educating our supporters about Gavi

What were RESULTS Texas’ bipartisan results?

· 12 cosponsors on the House’s Gavi resolution were from Texas: McCaul, Hall, Doggett, Veasey, Marchant, Vela, EB Johnson, Sessions, G. Green, A. Green, Jackson Lee, O’Rourke

· Rep. Michael McCaul authored a letter supporting Gavi & invited other Republicans to sign on.

· Rep. Bill Flores signed McCaul’s letter.

· Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson wrote a personal letter to the President urging a $1 billion / 4 year Gavi pledge.

· Rep. Lloyd Doggett wrote a personal letter to the President urging a $1 billion / 4 year Gavi pledge.

· All asked to do so by RESULTS volunteers!