Washington, DC.September 25, 2008—Today at the Clinton Global Initiative, Senators Barack Obama and John McCain spoke about why Americans, even in the context of financial crisis, should back bold action to end global disease and expand access to primary education.
Each explained how aid was essential to strengthening American security and promised further action, though only Obama made clear funding commitments and set specific deadlines for success linked to the internationally agreed-upon Millennium Development Goals.
"I am thrilled at the clear funding commitment from Senator Obama to provide $2 billion to establish a Global Education Fund," said Dr. Paul Zeitz, Executive Director of the Global AIDS Alliance Fund. "Access to primary school clearly reduces the risk of HIV infection," he noted. In fact, one recent study in South Africa showed the risk was reduced by 7% for each additional year of educational attainment. Girls who complete primary education are more than twice as likely to use condoms. Providing education is also crucial to meeting the needs of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS."
"The fact that Obama has made clear funding commitments and set specific deadlines for success means we as voters have a clear promise we can hold him to. It's not just rhetoric. That is the kind of leadership we need," stated Zeitz.
Senator Obama endorsed the bipartisan Education for All Act, first introduced by Senator Hillary Clinton, to prioritize basic education funding and strategies for the most disadvantaged children. This bill would authorize $1 billion for fiscal year 2008, scaling up to $3 billion by 2012.
In FY07, the US provided $485 million for basic education, far short of the US fair share of the $7 to $10 billion annual gap in financing needed to ensure that the 72 million children of primary school age who are out of school receive at least a basic education.
Senator McCain made a powerful moral and strategic case for increasing aid. He stated: "We can never guarantee our security through military means alone. True security requires a far broader approach, using non-military means to reduce threats before they gather strength. And this is especially true of our strategic interest in fighting disease and extreme poverty across the globe. Promoting development, creating opportunities, and eliminating disease do not only serve our national interests; they also accord with our deepest American values."
McCain stated he would work for the eradication of malaria, a major killer of children and pregnant women, though he did not specify a deadline, unlike Obama, or commit specific funding.
Obama has gone further than McCain by making a clear commitment to contributing to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, a life-line for malaria programs, as a part of his promise to double US annual investments in foreign assistance to $50 billion by 2012. This would be a major increase, while still representing a tiny fraction of the federal budget.
Obama has pledged in writing to provide full funding over five years for the $48 billion Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008 (H.R.5501, S.2731), which authorizes a full US contribution to the Global Fund.
Today at the United Nations, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown appealed to rich countries not to use the current financial crisis as an excuse to abandon the goals of the fight against global poverty. "This would be the worst time to turn back," he said.
