# End Tuberculosis Now Act of 2022

This bill directs the U.S. government to step up its efforts to fight tuberculosis (TB) around the world. Tuberculosis is a serious infectious disease that kills hundreds of thousands of people globally each year, particularly in developing countries where it spreads more easily due to poverty, overcrowding, and limited access to healthcare.

The bill essentially tells U.S. agencies—mainly the State Department, the Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)—to make TB prevention and treatment a higher priority in their international health work. This means dedicating more resources and attention to helping other countries detect TB cases early, provide proper treatment with antibiotics, and prevent the disease from spreading. The bill also pushes for better coordination between different U.S. government agencies so they're working together effectively rather than duplicating efforts.

For most Americans, this won't directly change their daily lives since TB is relatively rare in the United States today. However, it does commit U.S. taxpayer money to international health programs. The practical benefit is that by helping control TB in other countries, the U.S. reduces the chances of drug-resistant TB strains spreading back to America, which could become a serious public health threat. Additionally, controlling infectious diseases abroad generally makes the world safer and more stable, which can have long-term benefits for global trade, security, and peace.

End Tuberculosis Now Act of 2022

Menendez, Robert

End Tuberculosis Now Act of 2021 This bill authorizes actions, including the provision of international assistance, to combat tuberculosis. The President may provide international assistance for the prevention, treatment, control, and elimination of tuberculosis. The President must also establish goals for U.S. efforts to detect, cure, and prevent all forms of tuberculosis globally by updating the U.S. Government Tuberculosis Strategy (2015-2019) and the National Action Plan for Combating Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis. The Government Accountability Office must periodically report to Congress on the impact of efforts to combat tuberculosis that are supported by U.S. bilateral assistance.