WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Committee, today was joined by Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) in celebrating Committee approval of the End Tuberculosis Now Act of 2022. By making prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of tuberculosis around the world a priority in U.S. foreign assistance, the bipartisan legislation seeks to bolster congressional oversight and align U.S. strategies with those of the international community to ensure that assistance is used efficiently and effectively.
“Tuberculosis is one of the world’s most destructive diseases, but it is also preventable, treatable, and curable. While the burden of tuberculosis falls disproportionately on the shoulders of vulnerable populations – particularly children – in developing countries, it also greatly impacts communities in New Jersey and across the United States,” Senator Menendez said. “As our bipartisan legislation moves next to the Floor for consideration by the full Senate, today’s approval serves as a critical step forward in asserting the United States’ leadership in the fight to end tuberculosis and sets an example for other nations to take substantive action. I look forward to working with our colleagues to send this legislation to the President’s desk, and to continue work with international partners toward a truly monumental achievement: the elimination of tuberculosis in our lifetimes.”
“In recent years, tuberculosis has been the second most deadly communicable disease in the world after COVID, and the pressures of the pandemic have set back U.S.-led efforts to treat this curable disease. I’m proud the Committee advanced our legislation to help reduce the stigma around TB, support the important work of international partners, and put us on the right track to tackling a major global health concern,” said Senator Young.
The End Tuberculosis Now Act would strengthen and streamline U.S. efforts to fight TB, including by increasing support for the World Health Organization’s End TB Strategy and the Stop TB Partnership’s Global Plan to End TB. The bill also prioritizes strengthening programs, providing high-quality services, and supporting research and development of innovative diagnostics, drug therapies, and vaccines. Finally, it requires annual reports to Congress about tuberculosis-related foreign assistance and the development of new technologies, as well as regular evaluations by the Government Accountability Office.
Find a copy of the legislation HERE.
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