Today, we are closer than we have ever been to a malaria-free generation. In less than two decades, global mortality rates have fallen by over 60 percent and more children are surviving to celebrate their fifth birthday. With vaccinations anticipated to begin in Africa next year as a part of the World Health Organization’s pilot program, the world is on the precipice of gaining another powerful tool in the fight against malaria. We aren’t the first generation to bear the burden of malaria – one of the oldest and deadliest diseases on earth – but we are well on our way to being the last.

America’s leadership in institutions like World Bank and IMF is critical to influencing the agenda on global economic growth and development— which, in turn, shapes opportunities for American businesses to invest around the world. At next week’s World Bank/IMF Spring Meeting, businesses and NGOs will join finance ministers and development leaders from around the world to address today’s global challenges and opportunities. What will America’s voice be, given recent proposed budget cuts?

If USAID were to be integrated into State, this restructuring would not only ignore the great strides USAID has made to become more efficient and accountable over the past decade, but would also make our development assistance less effective in the long run. The U.S. government’s capacity through USAID to work among foreign populations and contain threats, to set long-term goals, and to effectively monitor and evaluate development programs are all crucial capabilities that would likely be lost.

Many U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) programs don’t often make headlines — for good reason. Just as we don’t hear about the wars that were prevented, we don’t read about the diseases that were stopped before they became the next Ebola, bird flu, or Zika — debilitating, fatal pandemics that caused severe burdens on livelihoods and economies and posed threats to global security and stability. The USAID-funded Preparedness and Response project, or P&R, is active in 16 countries, including Uganda, to establish the coordination required across many sectors to prevent, detect, and respond to emerging diseases and other international threats like antimicrobial resistance.

Ultimately, youth who participate in US government-sponsored exchange programs are empowered to become ambassadors for good governance—advancing democracy in countries undergoing political transitions, like the Gambia. With access to a vast network of program alumni across a country or even a continent, these young ambassadors can tap into tools, guidance, and resources to help them fight for good governance, human rights, and rule of law.

Empowering women and girls has been shown to be one of the most effective ways to deliver development results. Studies show that if women had the same access to economic resources as men, agricultural productivity could increase by 20 to 30 percent and help lift 100 million additional people out of poverty. Moreover, child mortality can be cut by nearly 10 percent by providing one additional year of education for women of childbearing age.

Today, TB is still one of the world’s deadliest diseases. 10.4 million people (that’s more than the combined populations of Mississippi, Colorado, and New Mexico) became sick with it in 2015, resulting in nearly 2 million TB-related deaths around the world. But here’s the good news: TB is both curable and preventable. Even better: the U.S., along with many partner organizations, is making progress towards ending TB once and for all.

The eyes of the world are on South Sudan right now after famine was declared on February 20. The threat of famine also looms in Somalia, Yemen, and Nigeria. What caused these crises and what does the international community need to do now? Here’s a Q&A with Chris Hillbruner is the deputy chief of party of analysis for the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), a USAID-funded project that compiles data and warns of impending food insecurity in almost 40 countries around the world.

President Trump’s budget calls on the State Department and development agencies “to advance the national security interests of the United States by building a more democratic, secure, and prosperous world.” To do this with fewer resources, the U.S. will need to expand and build on nearly 2,000 public-private partnerships like Power Africa and DREAMS that America has assembled over the last decade.

Today, the Administration today released its FY18 “skinny” budget, which would slash the State Department and USAID by 31% from current levels, cut the Treasury Department’s International Programs by 35%, and eliminate five agencies associated with the International Affairs Budget. The draconian and disproportionate cuts to these programs—which have long been key pillars of U.S. national security—would take funding levels for development and diplomacy programs back to levels not seen since 9/11. Here are just a few of the many Congressional leaders who have spoken out against these cuts, or in support of America’s civilian tools of development and diplomacy.