This is an average of the three domain scores below.
Congress received an 85 (B) with transparency and an 86 (B) without transparency because it proposed adequate funding for family planning, HIV and AIDS, and maternal and child health programs in the appropriations process in 2018. Congress’ grades increased since 2017 in all three domains due to adequate funding and high transparency, despite the fact that there was little legislation passed by Congress in 2018. The legislation that was passed in 2018 was not gender transformative, but was based in evidence and human rights principles and was responsive to need.
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2018_Congress-Budget.pdf
Congress received a 93 (A) with transparency and a 95 (A) without transparency for HIV and AIDS because it passed two pieces of legislation related to HIV and AIDS in 2018. Neither piece of legislation hindered the ability of U.S. global health assistance to support comprehensive HIV and AIDS programs globally that are based in evidence and human rights principles. However, both pieces of legislation had the potential to include gender transformative language, but did not. The Congressional budget within this domain received a high score because the budget request included adequate funding for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Transparency for this domain was also high for both legislation and funding information.
Congress received an 89 (B+) with transparency and a 90 (A-) without transparency for Maternal and Child Health because, although no new legislation was passed in this domain, the FY 2019 Congressional budget included an appropriation of funds for UNICEF and UNIFEM (now UN Women) — despite the absence of funding for both in the President’s budget request. Congress also appropriated more funding for USAID’s maternal and child health programs in FY 2019 than the amount appropriated in FY 2018. The transparency score was lowered due to a lack of clarity regarding UNIFEM funding.
Congress received a 74 (C) with transparency and a 74 (C) without transparency for Family Planning because the enacted FY 2019 Congressional budget appropriated inadequate funds for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and USAID in 2018. Congress did not pass any legislation related to family planning in 2018. Information on family planning legislation and funding was available, so the transparency score did not decrease Congress’ grade for this domain.