RESULTS Weekly Update February 4, 2025
Quote of the Week
“But [USAID’s] experience reveals what remains at stake — the collective capacity of the American government to pursue the common good.”
– Dr. Atul Gawande, former Assistant Administrator for Global Health at USAID, in the New Yorker, January 9
(Is this newsletter too long; didn’t read (TL;DR) the whole thing? Scroll to the bottom for the most important points or the “TL;DR”)
Call today to preserve foreign assistance
Recent White House actions have halted health and development programs around the world. Lifesaving programs are still shuttered. Meanwhile, the administration is moving to shut down USAID. This is our country’s main global anti-poverty agency. Only Congress has the authority to intervene. Members of Congress from both parties have already spoken out, but much more action is needed. We support good faith reform efforts and have worked to strengthen USAID over many years. Stopping lifesaving programs overnight and shuttering the agency that enables them is not reform — it is destruction. Our February National Webinar guest was Dr. Atul Gawande, former Assistant Administrator for Global Health at USAID. You can listen to him describe the unfolding situation in stark detail. Congress can speak up now with force to reverse this harm. We can urge them to do so and support those who already have. Please review our updated background materials. Please email or call representatives and senators directly. And please harness the power of the media to protect foreign aid.
First 100 Days lobby push continues
Don’t stop requesting lobby meetings with your members of Congress once you’ve completed your Group Roadmaps. And then record your meetings as part of our Actions and Allies campaign. Recent headlines only prove that your advocacy is absolutely crucial. When constituents make the case for life-changing and even lifesaving programs, Congress notices. It matters when you make the case for programs that mitigate the worst effects of poverty. Be part of that chorus making a difference. You can find support on our Actions and Allies page. You can also get some terrific prep tips from our recent “Researching Your Members of Congress” webinar. When you have booked a meeting with a member of Congress, you can request staff lobby prep support by emailing Katie Fleischer at [email protected]. Can we blanket the Senate and get to all key House members by the end of April? Yes, we can. Help us make that goal! (And don’t forget that you can keep taking action while you wait to hear back from congressional schedulers. We have a breadth of online actions across both our global and U.S. poverty campaigns that are shareable.)
Join Global Fund 101 training Thursday
AIDS, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria. Three deadly diseases that drive poverty. Stopping them is the focus of the incredibly effective Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The Global Fund has existed for over two decades, and later this year it will see its next replenishment opportunity. Join us for Global Fund 101 on Thursday, February 6 at 8:00 p.m. ET (but do stay tuned for any change in topic due to breaking news). Register today!
TL;DR (too long; didn’t read): Email or call Congress to protect foreign aid, book First 100 Days lobby meetings and meeting prep, and register for Global Fund webinar.
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