MANCHESTER, N.H.… New Hampshire ONE members are wasting no time in engaging candidates and voters alike in their home state, working to build awareness for the candidates’ commitments to fighting extreme poverty and preventable disease around the world.

“New Hampshire ONE members have been preparing for this week for months, meeting the candidates at every town hall and coffee shop and firehouse.  We want them to know that New Hampshire voters across the political spectrum are united in this effort to erase extreme, brutal poverty from our world and to save the lives of the millions of people who suffer under poverty’s oppression,” said Rich Ashooh, Republican co-chair of ONE’s New Hampshire election effort.

New Hampshire residents have proved that they are tireless advocates for the millions of people around the world living under the oppression of extreme poverty – poverty that forces a person to struggle to survive on less than $1 a day.  For instance, former U.S. Marine Michael Castaldo of Dover has logged more than 10,000 miles driving across New Hampshire to attend candidate meetings – Democratic and Republican alike.

“Imagine living on less than a dollar a day.  That sounds ludicrous, but it is a real-life reality for millions of people.  Imagine a child dying every three seconds – three seconds! – from entirely preventable diseases like malaria or TB or diarrhea.  It shouldn’t be happening in this 21st century.  When we open our eyes to the problems around us, we can make a difference.  America can save their lives and, when we do, we can make our own future more secure,” Castaldo said.

ONE is a grassroots advocacy and education group made up of 15,000 New Hampshire residents and more than 2.4 million Americans nationwide committed to fighting brutal poverty and preventable diseases in the world’s poorest regions.

“In 2000, our country made a commitment to eradicate extreme poverty, ensure basic education and provide health care access for everyone — all by the year 2015. ONE was created to make sure we keep those commitments.  This election, that means pressing the candidates to stand up for the world’s poorest people,” explained Joseph Keefe, ONE’s Democratic co-chair for the New Hampshire election initiative.

“ONE brings together people from all walks of life.  I’ve met pastors and police officers and military families who are part of ONE.  I’ve talked with skateboarders and school teachers who are part of ONE.  It isn’t about politics or political party; it’s about changing our world,” Keefe said.

The leading Republican and Democratic candidates have made public commitments to combat global poverty and disease.  They are part of ONE’s On the Record Challenge, producing videos and providing specific answers to questions on HIV/AIDS, malaria, infant mortality, clean water and education in the world’s poorest countries.

The Iowa winners, for instance, have stepped forward with public commitments on these issues.

Senator Barack Obama committed to lifting the 33 percent cap on U.S. contributions to the Global Fund while also doubling funding for the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI).  The Senator pledged to increase funding for child and maternal health and to ensure that increases in other assistance programs do not come at the expense of these two areas.  Obama committed to launch the “Add Value to Agriculture Initiative” to spur research and innovation in this area.  He committed to make American policy of the Millennium Development Goals and see progress toward meeting them by the end of his first term in office.

In ONE’s On the Record Challenge, Governor Mike Huckabee pledged to work for universal access to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment; work to reduce maternal and infant mortality; and cut in half the number of people worldwide without food or clean water.  He also says he will work to build water and sanitation infrastructure and invest in increasing agricultural productivity.  Huckabee has committed to support an increase in microfinance and trade opportunities.

The former Arkansas governor supports reauthorization of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and President Bush’s proposal to contribute to $30 during the next five years.  He also supports an increase in America’s commitment to the Global Fund.  He’s stated a goal of universal access to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and care.

View the commitments that each candidate has made at http://www.onevote08.org/ontherecord.

ONE supporters in New Hampshire include former Republican Governor Craig Benson of Rye and former Republican Congressman Charles Bass of Peterborough to House Speaker Terie Norelli, D-Portsmouth, and Senate President Sylvia Larsen, D-Concord.

To volunteer to help ONE in the primary election, email [email protected] or call 603-228-9300.

ONE is a grassroots effort of more than 2.4 million Americans, rallying Americans and pressing our leaders to fight the emergency of extreme poverty and preventable global disease.  For more information, visit ONE.org.

On The Record is a project of ONE Action to educate voters about the presidential candidates’ plans on issues of importance to ONE Action’s members. Only 501(c)(3) activities are funded by The ONE Campaign.

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