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Senators Lugar, Dodd, Boxer and Representatives Lee and McCollum Receive GAC Children's Champion Award

Posted on: Wednesday, 14 January 2009, 11:30 CST

Global Action for Children's First Annual Awards Ceremony

WASHINGTON, Jan. 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, Global Action for Children (GAC) honored Senators Richard Lugar (R-IN), Christopher Dodd (D-CT), Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Representatives Barbara Lee (D-CA-09) and Betty McCollum (D-MN-04) with the first annual GAC Children's Champion Award at the Newseum. The award recognizes those who have done outstanding work on behalf of orphans and vulnerable children in the developing world.

"I am honored to be one of the first recipients of the Children's Champion Award," said Senator Dodd. "Global Action for Children has done outstanding work on behalf of the youngest victims of poverty and disease, and I look forward to continuing our joint efforts in the years to come."

"GAC's mission of helping children in poverty worldwide through advocacy is important as we work together toward restoring hope in the lives of children once forgotten," said Senator Lugar.

"I am pleased to receive the Children's Champion Award and honored to work alongside Global Action for Children in the effort to improve the lives of vulnerable children around the world," said Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-MN-04), Co-chair and founding member of the Congressional Global Health Caucus.

Senators Lugar, Dodd and Boxer and Representatives Lee and McCollum were selected by GAC to receive the honor due in part to their leadership in passing the 2003 and 2008 Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria bills. Those bills authorized for the first time a record 10 percent of all U.S. global HIV/AIDS funding for orphans and vulnerable children. Lugar, Boxer, Lee and McCollum also played key roles in the 2005 enactment of the first-ever comprehensive strategy to address the challenges faced by orphans and vulnerable children worldwide, the Assistance for Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children in Developing Countries Act of 2005.

"GAC has worked with the award recipients since the coalition's inception in 2003." said Executive Director of Global Action for Children, Jennifer Delaney. "We attribute many of our achievements for children to the support of these congressional leaders and we look forward to their continued support as the Obama administration takes office."

In August of 2008, GAC officially launched the Emergency Presidential Initiative for the World's Children (EPIWC), an initiative consisting of concrete goals and actions that policymakers can take to bring lasting change and improvements to the lives of the millions of children around the world living in poverty. GAC will use this initiative to bring orphans and vulnerable children to the forefront of the new Congress and new Obama administration.

Global Action for Children is a nonpartisan, results-oriented coalition dedicated to advocating for orphans and highly vulnerable children in the developing world. GAC works to increase funding and ensure it is spent effectively so all children have the health care, education, food, and protection they need to grow up safe and healthy.

SOURCE Global Action for Children

Source: PR Newswire

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