Letter: You can be part of saving millions of lives — for less than the cost of 4 gallons of gas

On Jan. 14, the House of Representatives passed HR7006 by a vote of 341 to 79.

This is an appropriation bill to fund the State Department for fiscal year 2026, and includes $3.4 billion for reinstating the funding for international health efforts to fight the world’s major killers (malnutrition, AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria). This vote bravely pushes back on the administration’s demand to severely slash or eliminate funding for these humanitarian efforts.

While $3.4 billion seems like a lot to spend to save the lives of strangers across the globe, it only amounts to an average of $9.85 from each American. This is a small, but critical, investment to save a projected 3.3 million lives (mostly children).

Thank you, taxpayers. Your tax contribution saves lives. And thank you to three of Utah’s representatives (Blake Moore, Celeste Maloy and Burgess Owens) who voted for this funding.

Please call or email Sens. Curtis and Lee to urge them to vote in favor of this funding when it reaches the Senate. You can be part of saving millions of lives — for less than the cost of 4 gallons of gas.

William E. Cosgrove, Cottonwood Heights

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