ONE Applauds Senate Commitment to Fighting Extreme Poverty, Hunger, and Disease in 2013 Foreign-Ops Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tom Hart, U.S. Executive Director of The ONE Campaign, today issued the following statement regarding the release of the Senate State and Foreign Operations Appropriations bill for FY2013:

“ONE commends the Senate Appropriations Committee for prioritizing smart and effective global health, agriculture and anti-poverty programs that deliver a real return on investment measured in terms of lives saved. ONE would especially like to recognize Senators Leahy, Graham, Inouye and Cochran for their leadership on this bill, which passed the Senate Appropriations Committee with remarkable bipartisan support.

“This week’s Senate bill demonstrates that, even in these tough economic times, Republicans and Democrats can come together to help the world’s most vulnerable people. When the Senate and House bills are reconciled later this year, we encourage lawmakers to adequately fund life-saving and life-changing international development assistance programs. All for less than one percent of the U.S. federal budget, these funds effectively stretch American international engagement and are key to bolstering stability in the developing world. When you help save people’s children – as America has done on AIDS, malaria and many other issues – they remember.”

ONE is a global advocacy and campaigning organization backed by more than 3 million people. We fight extreme poverty and preventable disease, particularly in Africa, by raising public awareness and pressing political leaders to support smart, effective policies and programs that are saving lives, helping to put kids in school and improving futures. For more information please visit www.one.org.