Today, Senators Susan Collins (R – ME), Christopher Coons (D – DE), Jerry Moran (R – KA), Jeanne Shaheen (D – NH), Marco Rubio (R – FL), Richard Blumenthal ( D – CT), Mike Enzi (R – WY), Johnny Isakson (R – GA), Dick Durbin (D – IL), and Chris Murphy (D – CT) introduced in the US Senate the Reach Every Mother and Child Act (S.1730), which aims to end preventable maternal and child deaths by 2035. PATH joins a number of global health and poverty-fighting organizations to urge swift approval of this bill, which could help save the lives of millions of mothers and children around the world through scale-up of proven, low-cost programs, improved delivery of technologies and services, and more efficient and effective organization and administration.

The world has experienced substantial progress in the prevention of maternal and child deaths over recent decades, largely due to US leadership. However, despite these gains, 16,000 children die each day from preventable and treatable causes. Additionally, approximately 300,000 women die annually due to complications during pregnancy or childbirth.

USAID programs have been and will continue to be instrumental in allowing women and children around the world to survive and thrive. To further build on this progress, Congress must enact the Reach Every Mother and Child Act, and take action to prevent the deep cuts to the foreign assistance budget for Fiscal Year 2018 proposed by the current Administration.

"The Reach Every Mother and Child Act is a triple win: It will save lives, it will create greater opportunity and security for vulnerable women and children around the world, and it’s smart policy that promotes American interests and values," said Carolyn Reynolds, PATH vice president for Policy and Advocacy. “We urge Senators to support the Reach Act as well as to protect the US foreign assistance funding necessary to realizing the Act's goals."

PATH is encouraged that this bill is already drawing strong bipartisan support. Those who support maternal and child health and lifesaving US global health programs can use this handy tool to tell the Senate you support the Reach Every Mother and Child Act.

Click here to read a statement on the importance of the Reach Act from Senators Susan Collins (R – ME) and Chris Coons (D – DE).

About PATH

PATH is the leader in global health innovation. An international nonprofit organization, we save lives and improve health, especially among women and children. We accelerate innovation across five platforms—vaccines, drugs, diagnostics, devices, and system and service innovations—that harness our entrepreneurial insight, scientific and public health expertise, and passion for health equity. By mobilizing partners around the world, we take innovation to scale, working alongside countries primarily in Africa and Asia to tackle their greatest health needs. Together, we deliver measurable results that disrupt the cycle of poor health. Learn more at www.path.org.

Posted August 3, 2017.