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The sign outside the rooftop event said it all, so much so that Speaker Nancy Pelosi stopped to marvel at it as she made her way toward the reception.

“44 million lives saved by the Global Fund Partnership and U.S. Leadership.”

On a warm summer evening, Schrayer & Associates was honored to support Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria as they hosted a powerhouse reception to honor a bipartisan group of members of Congress who have championed the Global Fund. The setting — on a rooftop overlooking the Capitol — provided an apt backdrop for the significance of the message.

A Who’s Who From the Foreign Policy Community

The honorees were among the most consequential Congressional leaders on critical foreign assistance spending – Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA): Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Senate Appropriations Committee Chair; Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Senate Appropriations Committee State, Foreign Operations Subcommittee Ranking Member; Representative Kay Granger (R-TX) House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member; Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA), House Appropriations Committee State, Foreign Operations Subcommittee Chair; and Representative Michael McCaul (R-TX), House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member. Each of these members was lauded by other leaders in the foreign policy community, including former colleagues and virtually all of the former (and current) U.S. Global AIDS Coordinators, for using their leadership positions to secure critical support for the Global Fund.

The honorees themselves uniformly recognized their work on the Global Fund as among the most impactful work they’ve done throughout their tenures in Congress.

Among the special guests who also delivered remarks, some via video, included former President George W. Bush, whose creation of PEPFAR remains one of his Administration’s signature achievements; philanthropist and global health advocate Bill Gates; and longtime AIDS advocate Sir Elton John, along with other leaders of the global health community spanning both Democratic and Republican Administrations.

Support for the Global Fund Replenishment

The timing of the event couldn’t have been more significant, with the United States hosting the Seventh Replenishment Conference for the Global Fund in September. Friends of the Global Fight used this event to raise awareness and strengthen support in advance of the conference, making this gathering with these leaders that much more significant and impressive.

In welcoming guests, Friends’ President & CEO Chris Collins thanked Administration officials, members of Congress from both sides of the aisle, diplomats, business executives, and non-profit leaders and urged continued bipartisan support for the funding needed to continue the essential work of the Global Fund. The assembly of power players underscored the wide-ranging support and enthusiasm the Global Fund inspires.

Impact

In the wake of the event’s success, the Senate Appropriations State, Foreign Operations Subcommittee approved the inclusion of $2 billion for the Global Fund in its fiscal year 2023 funding bill. The announcement strengthened the headwinds for President Biden’s intended $6 billion multi-year pledge at the Replenishment Conference in September. The conference ultimately raised over $14 billion for the partnership’s work over the next three years, a record level of support during the week of the UN General Assembly.

“Practically speaking, this funding means that 2.3 million lives will be saved in just one fiscal year, 51 million new infections will be averted and 32 million people will have access to malaria treatment.” – Dr. Jeffrey Sturchio, Friends’ Board Chair.

Schrayer & Associates was proud to have the opportunity to partner with Friends of the Global Fight, offering strategic guidance on how best to use this event to amplify their message and achieve their ultimate goal of securing strong bipartisan support for the Global Fund replenishment. We worked closely with the Friends team on every detail from the honoree outreach and guest invitations to the messaging and program flow.