Last night the House voted to pass the Senate’s version of the fiscal year 2008 omnibus spending bill,

The legislation includes a historic $2.4 billion increase for global poverty programs – money that will literally save thousands of lives.

Happy Holidays.

-Virginia Simmons

The Senate passed the fiscal year 2008 omnibus spending bill today, which includes a historic $2.4 billion increase for global poverty programs.

Because the Senate version is different than the House version (which they passed yesterday), the House will have to vote on the bill again.

We’ll keep you updated.

-Virginia Simmons

Yesterday, the House passed the FY08 omnibus bill that included significant increases in funding for extreme poverty and global disease programs.

If passed by the Senate later today, FYO8 spending would include over 7 billion on global health programs, which will literally make the difference between life and death for millions of people.

Some additional highlights from the bill below:

• Basic education: The federal government will provide $694 million for grants to organizations that support basic education programs around the world. An
  estimated 72 million children worldwide lack access to basic education.
• Access to safe drinking water: With $298 million allocated for safe water programs, this legislation will enable high-priority countries to provide
  safe drinking water, build water systems and implement hygiene programs.
• Child and maternal health: The funding would provide $450 million dedicated to improving child and maternal health. Everyday, 27,000 children die from preventable, treatable diseases such as diarrhea, pneumonia and measles. Additional funding for child and maternal health programs will provide effective, affordable preventative measures such as immunizations, antibiotics, clean drinking water and vitamin supplements.

-Virginia Simmons