COVID 19 has touched everyone’s lives, but I would like to call attention to the impact of this pandemic on places that are less fortunate than Idaho. Places where, without major global action, health and economic crises have the potential to kill millions. UNICEF estimates around 10,000 children a month will starve to death due to COVID 19, as many developing nations lack the medical and financial resources with which to confront the pandemic.

Luckily, there is something we here in Idaho can do to help. A bill was recently passed in the House of Representatives which, if passed in the Senate, would direct the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to provide developing nations with billions in resources in order to buy the food, medicine, and more that they desperately need. Bill S. 4139 - the Support for Global Financial Institution Pandemic Response Act - makes use of resources that already exist in the international system, and won’t cost US taxpayers a cent, nor add a penny to the national debt.

In addition to costing nothing and saving lives, this bill will act as a stimulus for the US economy, as it would enable countries to buy American goods -- goods such as Idaho potatoes and raw materials. Idaho’s two senators are uniquely suited to help pass this bill, with Senator Risch being the chair of the Foreign Relations Committee and Senator Crapo being the chair of the Banking Committee. I urge all Idahoans, and especially Senators Risch and Crapo, to support the passing of this bill so people in developing countries stop suffering needlessly.

Katie Kelshaw,

Chubbuck