US Congress backs Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, despite Trump admin cuts

The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives have included funding for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, in their foreign assistance appropriations bill for fiscal year 2026. This is a welcome development for the global health community, given that about six months ago, the Trump administration said it would cut all funding for the organization. While appropriators from both bodies of Congress have agreed to this bill, it still needs a vote in both chambers, and then it will be presented for U.S. President Donald Trump’s approval, before it can be signed into law. The U.S. fiscal year started last October. But the government couldn’t get the budget passed by then, which led to the federal shutdown. Congress then passed a temporary spending bill that provides funding to keep the government open through Jan. 30 — meaning a new spending bill would need to be passed by then. Gavi’s inclusion in the budget bill does not necessarily mean the organization will receive the funds, as the Trump administration has ignored congressional funding bills over the past year. Additionally, the actual bill notes that the funds “may” be used towards Gavi, whereas the House and Senate committee reports that accompanies the bill specifically allocates $300 million for the organization. Even so, this development illustrates a fissure between the priorities of the Trump administration versus those of the U.S. Congress, which is tasked with dictating government spending. Gavi is the leading international organization that provides vaccines to lower-income countries — purchasing vaccines for more than half the children born each year globally. The U.S. government has accounted for around 13% of annual funding, making it the organization's third-largest contributor. But during Gavi’s high-level replenishment conference last June to raise money for its work from 2026 through 2030, U.S. health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vaccine skeptic, sent in a video speech stating that the U.S. won’t contribute to the organization until it works to “re-earn the public trust.” In his speech, RFK Jr. said Gavi needed to “start taking vaccine safety seriously,” criticized its recommendations around COVID-19 vaccines, and accused it of silencing dissenting opinions during the pandemic. He also specifically criticized the organization’s provision of DTP immunization — which protects against three infectious diseases that primarily kill children, including diphtheria, neonatal tetanus, and pertussis — referring to a disputed study. Gavi responded to his comments, saying vaccine safety is the organization's “utmost” concern and that its vaccine portfolio is aligned with recommendations that use a “rigorous, transparent, and independent process.” At the time, critics questioned whether RFK Jr. had the power to make such an announcement, given that Congress is tasked with deciding the nation’s budget. This uncertainty has left the organization in limbo. Meanwhile, this month in the U.S., RFK Jr.’s Department of Health and Human Services removed several vaccines from the list of those recommended for American children. Former U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration committed at least $1.58 billion to support Gavi’s work from 2026 through 2030. Gavi received a $300 million payment from the U.S. government in December 2024 under the Biden administration, and last year, Congress approved an additional $300 million in the fiscal year 2025 funding bill. The U.S. is one of Gavi’s six original donor countries, and since 2001, it has provided $1.19 billion in direct contributions to the organization and another $4 billion to COVAX — the mechanism to distribute COVID-19 vaccines to lower-income countries during the pandemic. Gavi has raised over $9 billion for its work between 2026 and 2030 — falling short of its $11.9 billion goal. Dr. Sania Nishtar, the chief executive officer of Gavi, testified during a congressional budget hearing last April — before RFK Jr.’s announcement — asking the U.S. Congress for $340 million for fiscal year 2026, calling vaccines one of the most cost-effective public interventions. “With support from the United States and other donors, Gavi not only strengthens routine immunisation systems but also builds stockpiles of vaccines against potential disease threats like dengue, Ebola, measles/meningococcal, cholera, and yellow fever,” she testified. “Continued funding for Gavi will help expand immunization efforts, support country transitions to self-financing vaccine programs, promote program sustainability, and strengthen global health security.” Beyond saving lives and promoting global health security, Gavi is also the largest purchaser of U.S.-produced vaccines and vaccine delivery supplies, such as drones. More broadly, the congressional bill includes $50 billion in total funding for U.S. foreign assistance programs — a move that’s been praised as “demonstrating real bipartisan momentum to support lifesaving foreign aid” and one that “rejects the steep aid cuts of 2025.” It’s nearly $20 billion above Trump’s budget request, which recommended a 47.7% cut in foreign assistance funding. Devex Senior Reporter Adva Saldinger contributed to this story.