Dear John,

Today, on World Health Day, I am thinking about the impact that deadly diseases -- from COVID-19 to Ebola -- have on our global community.

As more and more Americans receive vaccinations against COVID-19 and our country begins to reopen, it's important for us to remember that this pandemic will only truly end when it ends globally.

That's one of the many reasons why I was relieved and excited that President Biden committed our country to rejoin the World Health Organization and pledged to make sure the whole world is vaccinated. We're not safe and healthy until we're all safe and healthy.

I'm proud to work toward that goal of a healthier global community in my capacity as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations. We have a large budget to fund global health efforts, and I'm working hard to ensure we're spending those funds in places where it will have the greatest positive benefit.

Global health has always been a great passion of mine, and it's not just because a healthy global community is critical to the health of our own country. It's also because I've seen how America's public health campaign can have the greatest impact in terms of how other countries view the United States.

When America engages in global health efforts in developing countries, we are seen as a helpful partner -- not an adversarial colonial power. That strengthens our international relations and protects our national security.

We are truly a part of a global community and we cannot wall ourselves off from the rest of the world. As we enter this next stage of the pandemic, it's imperative that we address COVID-19 on a global scale so we can finally end this virus once and for all.

Thank you,

Chris