[Page S2571]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 173--SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF WORLD MALARIA 
                                  DAY

  Mr. WICKER (for himself and Mr. Coons) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 173

       Whereas April 25 of each year is recognized internationally 
     as World Malaria Day;
       Whereas malaria is a leading cause of death and disease in 
     many countries, with nearly \1/2\ of all cases globally 
     occurring in only 4 countries, despite malaria being a 
     preventable and treatable disease;
       Whereas, in the 19th century, malaria was once a leading 
     cause of death in the United States;
       Whereas malaria was finally eradicated in the 1950s, but 
     United States citizens still contract and die from malaria 
     every year from traveling abroad;
       Whereas, in 2023, there were an estimated 263,000,000 cases 
     of malaria in 83 countries and 597,000 malaria-related deaths 
     worldwide, with 94 percent of those cases in Africa;
       Whereas 2 decades of global progress in reducing malaria 
     cases and deaths has stalled in recent years;
       Whereas young children and pregnant women are particularly 
     vulnerable to, and disproportionately affected by, malaria, 
     with children younger than 5 years of age accounting for 74 
     percent of malaria deaths each year;
       Whereas, since 2000, global investments in malaria 
     intervention programs prevented an estimated 2,200,000,000 
     malaria cases and 12,700,000 malaria-related deaths;
       Whereas the United States played a leading role in more 
     than 2 decades of progress toward reducing the global burden 
     of malaria, particularly through the President's Malaria 
     Initiative and contributions to the Global Fund to Fight 
     AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria;
       Whereas a record 45 countries and 1 territory have been 
     certified malaria-free and a number of high-burden countries 
     have made remarkable progress, such as--
       (1) Rwanda, with 85 percent fewer cases since 2019;
       (2) India, with 69 percent fewer cases since 2017; and
       (3) Liberia, with 44 percent fewer cases since 2017;
       Whereas, as of 2025, there is a suite of new and evolving 
     tools that show great promise in fighting malaria, including 
     next-generation bed nets, diagnostics and treatment, malaria 
     vaccines for young children, spatial repellants, and gene 
     drive technologies;
       Whereas recent progress against malaria has stalled due to 
     biological threats, such as insecticide and drug resistance, 
     human factors such as conflict and displacement, and other 
     political and resource factors, which threaten a significant 
     increase in cases;
       Whereas there is an average of 2,000 imported cases per 
     year in the United States due to United States citizens who 
     travel, work, and are deployed overseas;
       Whereas fighting malaria makes the United States safer by--
       (1) decreasing the risk of illness and death for United 
     States citizens who travel, work, and are deployed to endemic 
     regions;
       (2) preventing a resurgence of malaria in the United 
     States, the risk of which was illustrated by the local 
     transmission of malaria in Florida, Texas, and Maryland in 
     2023; and
       (3) protecting United States servicemembers and their 
     families abroad, who frequently deploy to regions where 
     malaria is endemic;
       Whereas fighting malaria makes the United States stronger 
     by--
       (1) enhancing global stability by addressing a root cause 
     of destabilization, unrest, and terrorism that threatens 
     United States interests and security;
       (2) countering the influence of the People's Republic of 
     China in strategic regions targeted by the Belt and Road 
     Initiative; and
       (3) bolstering United States global leadership, 
     strengthening alliances, and creating diplomatic leverage; 
     and
       Whereas fighting malaria makes the United States more 
     prosperous by--
       (1) driving United States-led innovation, including recent 
     scientific breakthroughs that benefit the United States;
       (2) supporting universities, military-based research 
     institutions, faith-based organizations, and private-sector 
     companies in the United States that have been intrinsically 
     involved, committed, and invested in the fight against 
     malaria;
       (3) expanding markets for United States goods and services, 
     with 1 recent estimate finding that United States exports 
     would grow by $1,480,000,000 if global malaria reduction 
     targets are achieved by 2030;
       (4) protecting United States taxpayers by preventing rather 
     than responding to outbreaks of malaria, as the median cost 
     of protecting 1 person from malaria ranges from $0.53 to 
     $5.97, while treatment for each case of severe malaria costs 
     approximately $145.23; and
       (5) supporting United States businesses by creating stable 
     markets that are more favorable for United States investment: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of World Malaria Day;
       (2) finds that it is in the national interest of the United 
     States to fight malaria;
       (3) recognizes the importance of reducing malaria 
     prevalence and deaths to improve maternal and child health;
       (4) commends progress made toward reducing global malaria 
     morbidity, mortality, and prevalence, particularly through 
     the efforts of the President's Malaria Initiative and the 
     Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria;
       (5) supports efforts to reduce malaria case incidence and 
     mortality rates by not less than 90 percent by 2030;
       (6) commends the efforts and achievements of endemic 
     countries in preventing and treating malaria and supports 
     efforts to increase local ownership over malaria programs 
     with the goal of ultimately graduating from aid to self-
     sufficiency;
       (7) welcomes public-private partnerships to research and 
     develop more effective and affordable tools for malaria 
     prevention, diagnosis, and treatment; and
       (8) supports and encourages continued leadership by the 
     United States in reducing the global burden of malaria 
     through bilateral, multilateral, and private sector efforts, 
     including through the President's Malaria Initiative and the 
     Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

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