Rep. McCollum and Rep. Fortenberry to Co-Chair Bipartisan Global Health Caucus in 117th Congress

Congresswoman Betty McCollum (MN-04) and Congressman Jeff Fortenberry (NE-01) announced the formation of the bipartisan Global Health Caucus for the 117^th Congress. Originally formed in 2005, the Caucus will continue to serve as a forum for Congress to stay informed and engaged on matters of global health.

McCollum and Fortenberry, who will serve as Co-Chairs of the Caucus, released the following statements:

"The United States plays a critical leadership role in addressing global health challenges, ending global hunger, and promoting sustainable economic development, especially as the international community starts to recover and rebuild from the COVID-19 pandemic," Rep. McCollum said. "Having been an original Co-Chair of this caucus 16 years ago, I'm proud to continue this work. It's important for policymakers to be informed and prepared to take action against health threats like COVID-19 that impact communities at home and across the globe. I look forward to the perspective Co-Chair Congressman Fortenberry will bring to this role. Together, we will work with our colleagues, congressional staff, and the global health community to protect the American people and help the U.S. meet existing and emerging global health challenges."

"In America, we can no longer live with the comforting illusion that what happens in a faraway land won't touch us here," Rep. Fortenberry said. "As the COVID pandemic has painfully shown, what happens 7,000 miles away can have devastating consequences for our nation. Health security is national security. To ensure both, we need timely, accurate information on emerging disease threats. It is my hope that the Global Health Caucus helps ensure such transparency––for the good of America and the world."

# # #