IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 467 

Recognizing the essential contributions of frontline health workers to strengthening the United States national security and economic prosperity, sustaining and expanding progress on global health, and saving the lives 

of millions of women, men, and children around the world. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 27, 2019 

Mrs. LOWEY (for herself and Mr. DIAZ-BALART) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the essential contributions of frontline health 

workers to strengthening the United States national security and economic prosperity, sustaining and expanding 

progress on global health, and saving the lives of millions 

of women, men, and children around the world. 

Whereas the estimated 140,000,000 people in 2017 affected 

by humanitarian crises, including conflicts and natural 

disasters, was 200 percent higher than 10 years prior; 

Whereas frontline health workers are a critical and cost-effective component to building country resilience and the capacity to save lives, foster inclusive economic growth, and 

prevent and respond to humanitarian crises and global 

health security threats from infectious diseases, including 

Ebola; 


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Whereas frontline health workers include a range of occupations, such as community health workers, midwives, 

nurses, pharmacists, doctors, and surgeons; 

Whereas the World Health Organization reports that the 

world will face a shortfall of 18,000,000 health workers 

by 2030 without immediate and concerted action, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, many of 

which are in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, and these are 

regions that have the greatest share of the global disease 

burden and the highest number of preventable deaths, 

and from which many emerging and reemerging global 

health threats originate; 

Whereas nations with healthy populations are more likely to 

be productive, prosperous, and peaceful, while countries 

with poorer health are more prone to instability, conflict, 

and extremism; 

Whereas the United Nations Secretary-General’s High-Level 

Commission on Health Employment and Economic 

Growth found that health employment is a force-multiplier for inclusive economic growth and that health investments provide a nine-fold economic return; 

Whereas frontline health workers are particularly crucial during natural or complex emergency situations to saving 

lives and aiding communities to recover, rebuild, and become more resilient; 

Whereas health workers provide lifesaving care at great personal risk in conflict settings; 

Whereas, in 2018, at least 167 health workers were killed 

and 710 injured in attacks, which occurred in at least 23 

countries in conflict and impeded access to essential 


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health services for millions while exacerbating refugee crises; 

Whereas United States leadership and investment has led to 

dramatic successes in global health, including the reduction of child mortality by 58 percent and of maternal 

mortality by 44 percent from 1990 to 2017, the reduction of new HIV infections by 36 percent from 2000 to 

2017, and the decrease in malaria mortality by 62 percent from 2000 to 2015, and this progress has contributed to corresponding productivity and economic growth; 

Whereas access to a well-trained, well-equipped, and well-supported frontline health workforce is critical to the efficacy 

and sustainability of United States global health programs; 

Whereas frontline health workers are the first, and often 

only, link to health services for millions of people living 

in low- and middle-income countries and provide services 

where they are most needed, especially in remote and 

rural areas; 

Whereas frontline health workers too often work without the 

resources and equipment they need to adequately protect 

themselves and their patients, including personal protective equipment, clean water, decent toilets, and 

handwashing facilities with soap; 

Whereas partnerships with faith-based organizations, humanitarian nongovernmental organizations, and the private 

sector in adequately training, equipping, compensating, 

protecting, and supporting frontline health workers help 

countries achieve progress toward global health goals; 

Whereas despite the key role of frontline health workers in 

improving health, advancing peace and security, and 


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spurring economic growth, the World Bank and the 

World Health Organization estimate that at least half the 

world’s population lacks access to essential health services; 

Whereas the Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growth found that increased health workforce employment is critical to saving lives, spurring inclusive economic growth, and promoting women’s empowerment, as 

women comprise at least 70 percent of employment in the 

health and social sectors, compared with about 40 percent across all sectors; 

Whereas every day, more than 14,000 children die worldwide, 

mostly from preventable causes, and 830 women die due 

to pregnancy or childbirth-related complications; 

Whereas every year, millions of people succumb to the ravages of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and other treatable 

and often preventable chronic conditions; and 

Whereas successful implementation of the United States global health contributions and improved health and socioeconomic outcomes for those served by these programs 

requires integrated, flexible, and cross-sectoral programming: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) reaffirms the central role of local frontline 

3 health workforce teams in achieving the objectives of 

4 global health programs administered by the Depart5 ment of State, the United States Agency for Inter6 national Development, the Department of Health 

7 and Human Services, including the Centers for DisVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:36 Jun 28, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR467.IH HR467

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1 ease Control and Prevention, the Department of De2 fense, and other relevant agencies, as well as multi3 lateral institutions supported by the United States; 

4 (2) acknowledges that in the aftermath of nat5 ural disasters, disease outbreaks, and conflict, front6 line health workers perform critical services under 

7 difficult working conditions, often at great personal 

8 risk, to save the lives of those without access to 

9 medicines, equipment, or safe water and sanitation 

10 in many cases; 

11 (3) urges greater global attention and support 

12 for local frontline health workers to ensure their pro13 tection and ability to respond effectively during hu14 manitarian and public health crises, including pro15 tection of frontline health workers and populations 

16 in conflict-affected states from deliberate and indis17 criminate attacks and targeting; 

18 (4) calls on all relevant Federal agencies to uti19 lize existing flexibilities to implement integrated and 

20 cross-sectoral programming across global health ac21 counts to strengthen local frontline health workforce 

22 teams and the systems supporting them with con23 crete targets and clear accountability mechanisms to 

24 support delivery of resilient and sustainable access 

25 to essential health services; and 


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1 (5) encourages all relevant Federal agencies to 

2 facilitate collaborative learning between domestic 

3 and global frontline health workforce-strengthening 

4 programs to improve effectiveness and health out5 comes, and to prioritize the mobilization of addi6 tional private and public resources to ensure that 

7 frontline health workers are able to address the most 

8 acute issues to advance sustainable global health 

9 progress. 

Æ 


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