The U.S. government's involvement in global child survival and health is rooted in the attitudes of Americans themselves. Americans strongly support programs for prenatal care, safe motherhood, nutrition, and child immunization, and they view children's health as a top priority for foreign aid.

Appropriations

Congressional appropriations for child survival programs have, when adjusted for inflation, declined by nearly 20 percent since 1997. Meanwhile, many of the countries with the highest rates of child mortality have seen population gains in the same period. As a result, an increasing number of children are at risk.

Authorizing Legislation

The Global Child Survival Act addresses this issue in an effort to strengthen the U.S. Government's role in saving the lives of children and mothers in poor countries. On May 10, 2007, Representatives Betty McCollum (D-MN), Chris Shays (R-CT), and others introduced this legislation (H.R. 2266) in the House. A similar bill (S. 1418) was introduced in the Senate on May 17, 2007, by Senators Christopher Dodd (D-CT), Gordon Smith (R-OR), and others.