Watch the full event here: https://youtu.be/wM-fWgYBN-k

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representative Ruben Gallego (D-AZ-07), the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition (USGLC) and more than 100 Arizona political, business, and community leaders convened in a virtual town hall, where they agreed on the critical importance of America’s diplomacy and development programs to address COVID-19 and other global challenges that affect the health and safety of all Americans—in Arizona and across the country.

“As the COVID-19 pandemic has shown us, what happens in the world affects us here at home. This virus does not respect borders or boundaries, posing a threat to the health and security of people everywhere—whether in Arizona or halfway around the world. America’s global engagement is critical to respond to COVID-19, climate change, and other global challenges that threaten communities here in the United States,” said Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ). “I am dedicated to supporting strong American global leadership, including resources for our country’s diplomats, health experts, and development personnel who are working tirelessly overseas to address COVID-19 and other international issues in order to protect our health, economy, and national security.”

“Since the outbreak of COVID-19, Congressman Gallego has been hard at work to address the challenges of the pandemic at home and abroad,” said Carey Campbell, USGLC National Outreach Director. “He gets that in an interconnected world such as ours, America needs to be engaged globally— through our global health, diplomacy, and development programs— to confront COVID-19 worldwide and protect communities in Arizona and across the country.”

Many of today’s participants are members of the USGLC’s Arizona Advisory Committee. Chaired by Cindy McCain of Arizona State University’s McCain Institute for International Leadership, this strong and growing coalition brings together more than 110 business, faith, non-profit, veteran, and political leaders who understand why American global leadership matters for Arizona.

America’s global leadership also directly impacts Arizona’s economy and local jobs. In 2019, Arizona exported more than $24.7 billion worth of goods in 2019, with international trade supporting more than 783,500 jobs in the state. U.S. agencies have also worked alongside Arizona companies to represent their interests overseas—financing over $2 billion in exports through the Export-Import (EXIM) Bank since 2014 and $9 million in exports through the U.S. Trade and Development Agency since 1992.