Keep life-saving health funding in U.S. budget

As a pediatric emergency nurse, I regularly care for children and families. I see daily the positive impact of access to basic health care. Things as simple as antibiotics, vaccines, nutrition, and hydration save lives. Unfortunately, this access is not easily available to all children. As a mother myself, I cannot imagine being unable to obtain such basic care for my daughter.

The United States has been a global leader in helping to save the lives of children from illnesses such as pneumonia, malaria and diarrhea. Since 1990, American international aid has helped reduce preventable deaths of children worldwide by more than half. There is more work to do, but that is an incredible accomplishment that has helped stabilize our world.

But now, programs that have helped save millions of lives are in jeopardy. President Trump proposed devastating cuts to the foreign assistance budget. Drastic cuts to successful programs would reverse all that America has done to build stronger communities and save lives around the world.

As an advocate for Save the Children Action Network, I know that we should preserve America's legacy of helping children around the world survive and thrive. I urge Sen. Durbin to protect funding for critical health and nutrition programs that save moms and kids as they consider Fiscal Year 2017 and 2018 appropriations. Investing in kids today helps create a better tomorrow.

Andrea van der Hoek

Palatine