The Coronavirus crisis has led to hardships for everyone, but no one will suffer more than the millions of poor and hungry people living in low-income nations. We must take action to protect the lives of all children from both disease and extreme poverty. That’s why I hope Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo will cosponsor the Support for Global Financial Institution Pandemic Response Act.

This bill would direct the International Monetary Fund to provide developing nations with billions in resources in order to buy the food, medicine, and more that they desperately need. Not only would that help Idahoan farmers and manufacturers who sell overseas, but the bill itself won’t cost American taxpayers a single cent. The cost of doing nothing, on the other hand, is enormous. In Africa alone, a failure to take action is estimated to cost anywhere from 1.8 million to 5.7 million lives.

Caring for one’s neighbor is a value that we’re all called to, and it helped make the United States so great. That’s why I’m urging our Senators to make a true difference by supporting this bill and saving lives all over the world.

Mallori Bjerke, 

Boise