Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

The Cycle of Poverty

Poverty is a complex, multidimensional topic that has many factors. Different aspects of poverty affect each other and oftentimes continue to reinforce the negative aspects. The cycle of poverty is perpetuated by so many factors: poor health and education outcomes, not enough capital, vulnerability to life changes and lacking a voice to participate in society.

First, health is important not only because it prolongs one’s lifespan, but also because it directly affects one’s income earning potential. It gives people the energy to focus on activities that can contribute to a higher earning potential such as school work, running the business or farming. With a higher income, people can move on from subsistence living and onto a life of purchasing goods they are interested.

Second, education is important because it teaches one to make wise health decisions, that will ultimately contribute to a better health outcomes and eventually higher incomes. The cycle of poverty is often perpetuated because there is a direct lack in education. For instance, people will not use clean sanitation practices have a higher chance of getting inflicted with a disease such as diarrhea or dysentery. Having a sickly body will prevent a child from attending primary school, for oftentimes they need to walk several miles. Instead of walking with a body in that kind of state, a child will most likely stay home, perpetuating the cycle of poverty.

Next, consumption is indicated by how much purchasing power people have, whether they buy food for sustenance or other material goods for pleasure. Consumption is dependent on the amount of income. However, higher income is not necessarily practical to measure because money has different purchasing power and prices are always changing.

Vulnerabilities refers to the level of risk that a household or individual is likely to experience an episode of health or income poverty over a given time. The more vulnerable a person is, the greater their chances of being affected by any number of risks, including violence, natural disasters and quitting school (whether due to no money to pay for tuition or too ill to attend classes). It is likely that the more vulnerable people are, the less cushion they have to recover quickly.

Lastly, giving a voice to the poor and ability to participate in society is vital to lifting them out of a cycle of poverty. Hearing their concerns allows us to pinpoint their needs and help them reach the health and education levels necessary to thrive.

According to Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen, an important aspect of addressing poverty is to allow people to expand their capabilities to do what they want, simply because doing what one wants holds value in it of itself. So whether a woman or man wants to live farming for the rest of his life or pursue a medical degree, all those have value. All they need is agency, which is the opportunity available for them to pursue their life path.

Efforts that help the poor reach higher health, education and income levels, or protect them from their vulnerabilities or give them a voice are all vital dimensions in ending the cycle of poverty.

– Christina Cho

Sources: Stanford University, World Bank
Photo: Flickr

Ten Most Unhealthy Countries

Every year, the Social Progress Imperative comes out with an index that measures how individual countries perform in basic human needs, foundations of well-being, and opportunity. One subset of the foundations of well-being category is health and wellness. This subset takes into account life expectancy, non-communicable disease deaths between the ages of 30 and 70, obesity, outdoor air pollution attributed deaths and suicide rates. Below is a list of the world’s ten most unhealthy countries in the world, based on this subset.

10. Bulgaria, 60.63

Bulgaria is in the eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula. The country has a high mortality rate from cardiovascular disease. Additionally, Bulgaria has the worst air quality in Europe, with some of the highest concentrations of particulate matter, carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide.

9. Mozambique, 60.40

Mozambique’s main health problems are to due with high mortality rates due to drought, poverty and HIV/AIDS, as well as a lack of experienced health workers in the country. The HIV/AIDS epidemic continues to decimate portions of the population in the country. In addition, capacity building and risk reduction expertise are both low.

8. Swaziland, 60.29

Located in southern Africa, Swaziland has an extremely high prevalence of HIV/AIDS, reaching over 26 percent. Swaziland needs the most improvement in life expectancy and non-communicable disease deaths between 30 and 70.

7. Latvia, 59.97

Latvia, too, has problems with air quality that cause long-term health problems. Latvia also needs to address substance abuse problems such as alcohol and tobacco, which both contribute to ill health in the country at a disproportional rate.

6. Armenia, 59.36

Armenia’s health issues revolve around a broken, extremely expensive health care system that cannot meet the burden of care. With economic downturn, basic medicines and doctor visits can become too expensive.

5. Moldova, 58.00

Moldova is currently experiencing negative population growth. The two main causes of death are heart disease and cancer. Moldova has high rates of substance abuse-related deaths, like alcohol and tobacco. Tuberculosis, especially multi-drug resistant tuberculosis, is rapidly becoming a major health concern in the country.

4. Belarus, 56.56

The main areas that need improvement in Belarus are non-communicable diseases and suicide rates. The country, located in Eastern Europe, is also relatively polluted, which can cause long-term ill-health.

3. Russia, 51.99

Russia needs improvement in almost all categories, including life expectancy, non-communicable diseases, air pollution and suicide rates. Additionally, Russia experiences high rates of mortality due to smoking for both men and women. HIV/AIDS is also becoming more of a concern.

2. Ukraine, 51.82

Ukraine, located in Eastern Europe, has similar problems as its neighbors, mainly bad air quality, high levels of tobacco and alcohol abuse and high suicide rates. Additionally, Ukrainians spend about 13 percent of their lives in ill-health, which is much higher than most of their neighbors. Ukraine also has the highest rate of infectious diseases in Europe.

1. Kazakhstan, 49.93

Kazakhstan, located in Central Asia, is ranked as the unhealthiest country in the world, according to the Social Progress Imperative. Kazakhstan needs dramatic improvement in life expectancy, deaths related to non-communicable diseases, air quality and suicide rates. HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis have become growing concerns; TB, especially, is of great concern because of drug-resistance.

– Caitlin Huber

Sources: Social Progress Imperative, World Health Organization 1, World Health Organization 2, World Health Organization 3, World Health Organization 4, World Health Organization 5, New York Times, UNICEF, National Center for Biotechnology Information, Common Dreams, World Bank, University of Pittsburgh
Photo: Flickr

Obama’s Poverty Alleviation Strategy

The main problem with congress is that there is an inability for Democrats and Republicans to agree on how best to handle poverty in the U.S. and around the globe.

In 1964 Lyndon Baines Johnson addressed a joint session of congress and introduced his war on poverty. He introduced poverty alleviation strategies that left a lasting legacy in the minds of the American public. He stated, “Some because of their poverty, and some because of their color, and all too many because of both. Our task is to help replace their despair with opportunity. This administration today, here and now, declares unconditional war on poverty in America.”

Today many Americans and people around the world reside in poverty. Some experts say that LBJ’s war on poverty was not a success, although it did bring the issue to the center stage for the first time on a national scale.

Today, parallels are being drawn between LBJ and Obama in their conviction to eradicate poverty.

Author Sasha Abromsky notes that President Obama, “understands the impact of poverty on people’s lives better than almost any other of his predecessors.” LBJ’s $20 trillion dollar strategy was much more aggressive than Obama’s poverty alleviation strategy. Obama supported economic packages that benefit those living in poverty, for example, the 2009 stimulus package increased funding for services such as food stamps. The Affordable Care Act is a safety net for Americans unable to afford the rising price of health care. Not only have his policies been aimed aid the poor, they also have prevented millions of Americans from falling into poverty.

Today, bipartisanship in congress remains the biggest obstacle for government assisted social service programs that support low income families. The fundamental problem remains that conservatives and neo-liberals hold vastly different beliefs when discussing the root problems of poverty. Liberals and neo-liberals believe that long-term poverty within certain demographics correlates with long-term structural problems and ongoing economic inequality within society. On the other hand conservatives and, most notably, conservatives like Paul Ryan hold that poverty is associated mainly with culture.

These distinctly different ideologies shed light on one of the reasons why Republicans and Democrats support separate economic and social service policies. The new Republican congress is pressing to reverse Obama’s second term packages that focused on providing substantial packages that supported the lower and lower middle classes. Obama’s policies show that he is aware of how the increasing income gap aversely affects low-income Americans. The Republican majority House and Senate has the ability to repeal legislation enacted during Obama’s terms in office.

It is likely that many of his bills will be on the chopping block next year.

– Maxine Gordon

Sources: NPR, New York Magazine Washington Post
Photo: Flickr

Challenges Persist Within India’s Education System

Although India’s constitution guarantees all children under the age of 15 the fundamental right to free education, this goal has yet to become a tangible reality. Several major social and economic forces continue to strain the Indian education system, depriving many children—especially girls—of access to basic primary education.

India has witnessed several important improvements in its education system over the past few decades. School attendance is currently on the rise as more children between the ages of six and 14 across the country are regularly attending class than ever before. Nationwide enrollment in government-run primary schools has increased from approximately 19 million in the 1950s to about 114 million by 2001. The nation’s overall literacy rate has also seen significant improvement, growing from 52 percent in 1991 to 65 percent in 2001. Furthermore, the total number of illiterate Indians is on the decline for the very first time. Despite these improvements, the number of children who remain illiterate or completely out of school is alarming. Approximately 90 million girls remain illiterate despite the recent growth in literacy rates, and 20 percent of children in the six to 14 year age group do not attend school. In Rajasthan, India’s largest state, 45 percent of girls compared to 55 percent of boys are enrolled in primary school. This discrepancy drastically widens when the children reach secondary school, where a mere 36 percent of girls attend class.

Gender discrimination issues are largely responsible for the nation’s discrepancy in educated girls. Societal norms generally instill in girls the notion that marriage is the utmost priority, often in lieu of a substantial educational background. Financial problems contribute to this when poor families cannot afford to send all of their children to school. In most of these cases, parents choose to enroll their sons over their daughters with the belief that doing so will prove to be the most fruitful option for all parties involved: the girls will stay home and learn how to become good homemakers and wives, while the boys will eventually enter the workforce prepared to secure a well-paying job that will ensure their financial stability and allow them to take care of their aging parents.

Issues arising out of India’s social class system further hamper the nation’s ability to provide equal education for its students. Much like gender discrimination separates girls from boys and allows each group disparate opportunities, caste and class differences strip children of equal educational access. Child labor in certain regions further aggravates this problem.

Insufficient funds and a rapidly growing population are additional factors that contribute to India’s persistent education problems. Public funds simply cannot cover education costs for every child, and schools across the nation regularly experience major shortages of school supplies, teachers and essential facilities. Low retention rates are a serious issue in regard to both students and teachers, an issue that most strongly affects the nation’s rural areas. With a single upper-primary school established for every three primary schools, even those children who manage to complete their primary school education cannot necessarily advance to the next level due to a sheer lack of available space. A related contributing factor is a general lack of quality ranging from educational curricula to school management to teacher training, an obstacle that shortages of classrooms, supplies and staff further exacerbate.

Despite improvements in literacy rates and primary school enrollment over the past few decades, India’s education system remains plagued by specific and significant shortcomings that must be met with serious attention. Young girls in marginalized social and economic groups are especially disadvantaged by the current system as the children most likely to leave school permanently at an early age.

– Shenel Ozisik

Sources: Foundation for Sustainable Development, UNICEF
Photo: Flickr

Possible Health Works for World’s Poor

Possible Health is a “for-impact” healthcare organization based in Accham, Nepal. It seeks to provide low-cost, high-quality health care to the world’s poorest people. It addresses the challenge of rebuilding the public sector health system to ultimately benefit the patient. Since starting in 2008, Possible has treated over 222,000 people. In the first quarter of 2014, Possible treated over 16,000 people, spending about an average of $20.22 per patient.

Possible functions as a partnership between the government of Nepal and the nonprofit to create a healthcare that guarantees the highest standard of treatment to the poor who cannot afford to pay for it. They use what they call a “hub and spoke” model, which allows patients to receive treatment in any of these four ways: through government hospitals, clinics, community members or referral care depending on what treatments are necessary.

For instance, Possible operates out of Bayalpata Hospital in Accham. Around the Bayalpata Hospital, they have established several clinics so that patients who live further have access to great clinical treatment closer to their homes. Trained Nepali staff are established as community members and sent out to patients’ homes to provide check-ups and follow-ups. Those whose conditions are more complicated, and who are unable to be treated by Bayalpata and its clinics are referred to other urban hospitals that have the means to do so—and those costs are fully crowdfunded so that finances are not an issue for the sick when it comes to treatment.

Choosing Accham, Nepal to pilot their program was both a strategic choice as well as jumping on an opportunity to take on a challenge. Back in 2008, when Possible was starting, Accham was one of the poorest regions in the world, where each person made less than an adjusted $0.39 USD per day, far below the world poverty line of $1.25.

And yet, despite its war-torn history and low economic performance, the constitution of Nepal held one of the most progressive and impressive health care stances in the world: the right to universal healthcare—even for the poorest among them all. The government of Nepal has invited Possible to partner with them in creating a new model of health care.

As a team, Possible loves the challenge of defying the impossible. In this case, the job was to create a healthcare model that is sustainable and effective even after providing services to the very poor.

Their strategy is groundbreaking: they identify best attributes of each sector and amplify that into their own design, which they call “durable healthcare,” that will reach the poor. For instance, the private sector is usually too expensive while the public sector is often known to provide poor-qualify services. Then there is philanthropy that comes up with innovative solutions, yet rather expensive and difficult to scale.

However, each sector does have its own forte. The government has existing infrastructure such as hospitals that can deliver effective health care. The private sector holds a standard of healthcare that everyone should receive. And philanthropy can help finance the costs!

Because Possible considers itself a for-impact, and not a for-profit, organization, they are not concerned with revenues. The only financial matter that they are concerned with replacing the costs of the services. This is done through donations and partnerships.

Possible’s motto is, “We make healthcare possible in the world’s most impossible places.” As they continue to succeed in Nepal, perhaps they will replicate it in the other impossible places of the world.

– Christina Cho

Sources: Center for Health Market Innovations, Possible: Health
Photo: Quartz

ICRW Fights for Gender Equality

In the developing world, one in three girls is married before age 18, and over 200,000 women die each year from pregnancy-related causes. In Sub-Saharan Africa, women account for approximately 60 percent of HIV infections, despite making up just over half of the population.

The International Center for Research on Women, or ICRW, a Washington, D.C.-based global research institute and registered nonprofit, has been working for nearly 40 years to combat statistics like these.

Founded in 1976, the ICRW conducts empirical studies intended to measure the obstacles that hinder women in the developing world from reaching their full potential. The ICRW then recommends policy priorities and designs “evidence-based plans” for donors, program designers and policy makers that enable needy women to lead happier, healthier lives.

The ICRW focuses its research on several main areas related to women’s empowerment. The first of these areas centers on issues that begin in adolescence.

Specifically, the ICRW conducts research on child marriage, education, work, healthcare and relationships. By identifying ways to make the attitudes and options of adolescent boys and girls more equitable, the ICRW hopes to empower women to take better control of their own futures.

The ICRW also focuses its research on how disparity between men and women affects agricultural productivity and food security in developing nations; women’s economic empowerment, employment opportunities and property rights; reproductive health and fertility control; HIV contraction, stigma and discrimination; and domestic violence issues.

In the four decades since its inception, the ICRW’s research has been instrumental in bringing about meaningful change in the lives of women in need. Its research efforts have, among other accomplishments, guided the passage of a 2005 law in India working to combat domestic violence, increased the availability of microfinance loans available to women in developing nations and helped integrate women’s empowerment and gender equality into the Millennium Development Goals.

With new regional offices in Kenya and India, the ICRW continues to conduct relevant research aimed to produce “a path of action that honors women’s human rights, ensures gender equality and creates the conditions in which all women can thrive.”

– Katrina Beedy

Sources: International Center for Research on Women, Coalition for Adolescent Girls
Photo: Flickr

ACTED Continues Aid in Wake of Typhoon Hagupit

typhoon_hagupit
On November 8, 2013, the strongest storm ever to make landfall hit nine regions of the Philippines, leaving upwards of 11 million people to suffer in its wake.

Typhoon Haiyan was underestimated by both local and national officials and wound up decimating numerous cities, equipped with a low number of emergency supplies and a general lack of planning. For nearly 24 hours, officials in the city of Tacloban had no way to even call for help. Though the strength of the storm was grossly underestimated, neighboring nations still kept out a watchful eye, and once word got out from the regions most affected, emergency relief efforts came rushing to provide aid for those affected.

The Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development (ACTED) had an immediate response being reactive on the ground two days post-typhoon with three bases in Northern Leyte, Eastern Samar and Davao. It was one of the first NGOs in Guiuan to meet emergency needs for those affected. Since the disaster, ACTED has continued to focus on community-led recovery and development by responding to two major needs: water hygiene and sanitation access and housing reconstruction.

ACTED provides the following data on the work they have been engaged in throughout the past year:

  • Water: 30,000 people have improved access to safe water.
  • Sanitation: 30,000 people have improved access to adequate sanitation services and facilities.
  • Information: 42,286 people participated in information sessions to prevent water-related diseases and hygiene promotion activities.
  • Healthy schools: 4,633 children have access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene facilities in their learning environment; they also participated in hygiene promotion sessions.

In addition, ACTED has joined efforts with ShelterBox, an international disaster relief charity, to support 300 families in rebuilding their homes, providing housing material, training local carpenters and mobilizing communities to build houses using safer techniques. Thus far, 71 households received shelter materials, 841 people attended workshops and 30 carpenters were trained.

Typhoon Haiyan left millions of people displaced in the aftermath of a disaster. A year later, families continue to struggle to rebuild their lives even with the aid of others.

And when Typhoon Hagupit hit, ACTED was ready for a quick response.

After the first sign of its arrival, ACTED teams took every measure to be prepared in responding to emergency needs, stocking on food, water, fuel, petrol and other essential items. They also set up evacuation centers with food and access to toilets at the ready.

As a result of the advanced planning, thousands of people were evacuated to safe places like schools, but Typhoon Hagupit nevertheless brought about disaster to homes and even to areas that still haven’t recovered from the previous typhoon only a year ago.

In the immediate aftermath of both Typhoon Haiyan and Typhoon Hagupit, ACTED teams have positioned themselves across the country to access the extent of the damage and the type of response that will need to be carried out to support locals in rebuilding their lives. Currently, they are bringing sustainable efforts, such as building the capacity of farmers, supporting farmers’ organizations and facilitating linkages with markets.

ACTED’s vocation is to support vulnerable populations affected by natural disasters, wars, economic and social crises, and more. They are committed to addressing the needs across the globe with a multidisciplinary approach that can be adapted to any context. Implementing about 260 programs per year, ACTED seeks to cover the multiple aspects of humanitarian and development crises in the following fields: emergency relief, food security, health promotion, education and training, economic development, microfinance, advocacy and institutional support, and cultural promotion.

Their work is quietly, yet effectively accomplishing UN Millennium Development Goals in these days of crisis in the Philippines.

– Chelsee Yee

Sources: ACTED 1, ACTED 2, InterAction
Photo: NBC

Malala Yousafzai: Nobel Peace Prize Winner

Fighting for one’s own education in this world is an honorable feat that many aspire for but sadly do not accomplish. At the age of seventeen Malala Yousafzai did just that. She is known for being the youngest person to receive a Nobel Peace Prize for her activism for right for women to have access to education.

Malala was born in 1997 in Mingora, Pakistan, where she was not banned from the opportunity to have an education. Yousafzai attended a school that her father founded. Once the Taliban began attacking their rights to education, she knew she had to say something about it. She gave a speech in 2008 entitled “How dare the Taliban take away my right to basic education?” This was just the start of her growing platform of writing and speeches in activism towards girl’s education.

In 2009, Yousafzai made her first BBC blog post that exposed the daily hardships that girls faced daily in the Swat Valley of Pakistan. Her posts were under a pseudonym that eventually was discovered. At the time the Taliban in the area was banning all girls from attending school, this did not stop Yousafzai from her protests. Even after her name was discovered, Yousafzai continued to post blogs about the daily violence, intimidation, ridicule and suffering that the girls faced.

As her popularity grew, the Taliban began to view Yousafzai as a threat. The uprisings built up and on October 2012, as Yousafzai was boarding her school bus, she was shot three times. The injury was so serious she was sent to Birmingham, England for further care. Even after the attempted assassination, Yousafzai continued to be an activist for women’s rights, especially education.

The United Nations petition for all children to have access to education by 2015, was inspired by Yousafzai. She has been honored with countless awards, including the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize along with Kailash Satyarthi of India, who is fighting against child slavery around the world. Both individuals were awarded because of their efforts towards “their struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education.”

Malala Yousafzai is a perfect example that if you have a strong enough belief in something, you do have the power to enact change. She stood up for not only herself, but girls all across the world who were told that they would not be given an education.

The power of one voice is truly strong enough to rattle the world.

– Charisma Thapa

Sources: Optimist World, A&E, USA Today

Photo: Flickr

China’s Role in Global Poverty Reduction

China
From 1990 to 2010, the percentage of the world population living in extreme poverty dropped from 36 to 18 percent. In two decades, nearly a billion people were pulled from the depths of extreme poverty.  Who did the pulling?

The 2014 U.N. progress report on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) cited the drop in extreme poverty as evidence of the MDGs’ impact on poverty reduction. However, the report also notes that most of the progress came from China, where the poverty rate dropped from 60 percent in 1990 to 12 percent in 2010.

Not only did China not sign up for the MDGs framework, much of its progress came prior to the MDGs. As of 1980, China had more people living in poverty than any other country in the world. From 1981 to 2010 however, China succeeded in pulling roughly 680 million of its people out of poverty. China alone accounts for nearly 75 percent of the world’s decline in poverty over the last thirty years.

Much of China’s success stemmed from agricultural and rural development. According to a World Bank study, roughly three-quarters of China’s overall poverty reduction between 1981 and 2001 came from gains to the rural poor.

China’s experience in combatting severe poverty rates could make for a valuable export. In a November conference, officials from China and the African Union met in Ethiopia to discuss how Africa can benchmark Chinese industrialization practices, as it tries to make its own push out of poverty. A jointly commissioned comparative study on Special Economic Zones in China was presented at the conference, with the goal of improving Special Economic Zones in Africa.

Ethiopian president, Dr. Mulatu Teshome, believes that cooperation with China will be essential in helping drive the African continent out of poverty: “Benchmarking China’s best practices in industrialization is essential, in that that it is almost unthinkable to realize the African dream of becoming an industrialized, united and prosperous continent by 2063 only through Africa’s own technology generation.”

– Parker Carroll

Sources: Economist, Huffington Post, New Business Ethiopia
Photo: Blogspot

House Approves $1 Trillion Spending Package

The U.S. House of Representatives approved a $1 trillion government spending package on Thursday, December 11. The agreement will keep the government open into next year. With major opposition from House Democrats, the bill narrowly squeaked by on a 219-206 vote. The Senate passed a two-day funding bill after the House vote, dodging a government shutdown that would have started at midnight on the 12th.

House Democrats interrupted plans for a Thursday afternoon vote on the bill because of opposition to provisions entailing more relaxed regulations on Wall Street and with campaign finance laws. This opposition incited a rare case in which House Democrats became pitted against President Obama, who approved of the deal for its inclusion of several of his specific spending priorities. These priorities include more funds to fight Islamic State militants, help combat the Ebola outbreak in West Africa and distribute more Pell Grants for college students.

The clash began on Tuesday when Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) strongly opposed the bill’s weakening of a certain provision of the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial services law that was created to protect taxpayers from risks resulting from complex financial trades by large banks. Democrats were further dissatisfied with a provision that significantly increased the funding private donors can grant to political conventions. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) insisted she was not made fully aware of the provision’s extent before the package’s initial unveiling.

After Democrats voted against advancing the bill on Thursday afternoon, House GOP leaders took the bill off the floor and the White House began trying to drudge up Democratic support for the package. President Obama and Vice President Biden began personally calling House Democrats in the final few hours before the dreaded government shutdown, encouraging them to view the bill more favorably. Meanwhile White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough went to Capitol Hill in an effort to change dubious Democrats’ minds, insisting that passing the deal would place more confidence into the economy. Democrats exiting the meeting claimed that McDonough had told them the federal government could not survive on constant short-term continuing resolutions.

Some Democrats supported the bill, arguing in favor of the fact that it does contain several democratic spending priorities. Notably, Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), who is the second-highest-ranking House Democrat, openly supported the package. Some Republicans, on the other hand, opposed the bill on the grounds that it would not be able to succeed in reining in the President’s order. This internal opposition meant that Republicans needed Democratic votes in order to pass the deal.

Eventually many House Democrats decided to offer up their support for the legislation, enough to ultimately ensure that it successfully passed. 57 Democrats ended up crossing the divide to vote in favor of the bill along with 162 Republicans. The deal has arisen out of weeks of negotiations between Senate Appropriations Chairwoman Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), House Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers (R-Ky.), and their respective party leaders.

– Shenel Ozisik

Sources: USA Today, Politico
Photo: ABC