One Kansas Democrat, one Republican: We need to come together on COVID-19

Here is a terrific essay from our colleague Lynn Jenkins focusing on the need for bipartisan solutions to addressing the pandemic:

The following article was originally featured in The Wichita Eagle, July 7, 2020

By Lynn Jenkins and Dan Glickman Special to The Eagle

Dan Glickman, a Democrat, served as U.S. Agriculture Secretary from 1995-2001 and represented Kansas’ 4th District from 1977-1995. Lynn Jenkins, a Republican, represented Kansas’ 2nd District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2009-2019. They are co-chairs of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition’s Kansas Advisory Committee.

With coronavirus cases spiking in Wichita and across the country, it’s hard to believe only six months ago this virus was spreading around eastern China, of little concern to most Americans. But coronavirus is no longer a distant problem, it is our problem — one that is disrupting our healthcare system, economic prosperity and ways of life.

As two former U.S. representatives — one a Republican and one a Democrat — we’ve spent years working to protect our fellow Kansans and better our communities, which is why in this global health crisis, we must speak up. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that what happens around the world can have deep, profound impacts on our lives, even here in south-central Kansas. We cannot stop this virus in the United States if it’s still out in the world. It’s like two sides of the same coin: To defeat COVID-19 here, we must defeat it everywhere.

The United States has long been a leader in the fight against infectious diseases, using the expertise of the CDC, USAID, and State Department to help stamp out diseases like polio, Ebola, and HIV. Right now, their leadership is again needed to engage with our allies and international partners and coordinate a response to COVID-19.

While there’s still more we must do at home, we must step up American leadership on the world stage, especially as the pandemic takes hold in developing countries. Lives are at stake, not just from the virus, but from secondary impacts that are devastating economies and escalating humanitarian challenges like hunger, poverty, and food insecurity.

Such setbacks will reverse decades of gains in developing countries and hinder their ability to participate in the global economy. Before March, more than 50 percent of U.S. exports went to the developing world — markets that are essential to sustain American businesses. In Kansas, our exports not only bolster companies in manufacturing and agriculture, they also account for nearly 10% of our GDP and support 60,000 jobs statewide.

With global trade now in flux, fewer Kansas exports are going overseas, hurting our economy, as well as those of many developing countries, and causing millions to go hungry. Our economic future is directly tied to the recovery of these countries, many of whom will require U.S. assistance to prevent further economic collapse and humanitarian crises.

The pandemic is also giving way to new national security threats. One billion people in the world’s most fragile states are at risk of contracting COVID-19, threatening further destabilization and the resurgence of extremist groups like ISIS and Boko Haram. Before COVID-19, our country’s, diplomats, global health experts and development personnel were helping stabilize these environments and prevent future conflicts. Now, their involvement is even more critical to calm rising tensions and ensure they don’t become larger issues that could require us to put U.S. military service members in harm’s way.

Without action, we know what’s at stake for our economy, national security, and the global community. But our inaction also diminishes America’s global influence and erodes the respect people have for our country, which is necessary currency for international alliances, economic benefits, and mutual security.

Stepping back will only make room for others to step in —and we may not like who takes our place. Take China, for example. Before the COVID-19 outbreak, China was eagerly expanding its global influence through its $1 billion Belt and Road Initiative, partnering with countries to fund large-scale infrastructure projects like airports and railways. But with the economic fallout from the pandemic, many countries — particularly developing ones — cannot pay back their debts, leaving them at the mercy of China’s debt-trap diplomacy, which could mean the seizure of their assets in exchange for debt relief.

While our leaders in Congress have provided some emergency funding to USAID and the State Department to support our country’s international response, much more needs to be committed to stop the spread of coronavirus worldwide and reduce the possibility of the virus coming back to our shores.

We may come from opposite sides of the aisle, but we both agree this is the moment for America to stand up in the global fight against COVID-19. The future of our state and our country depend on it.

Lynn Jenkins, a Republican, represented Kansas’ 2nd District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2009-2019. Dan Glickman, a Democrat, served as U.S. Agriculture Secretary from 1995-2001 and represented Kansas’ 4th District from 1977-1995. They are co-chairs of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition’s Kansas Advisory Committee.

See Wichita Eagle Article: https://www.kansas.com/opinion/guest-commentary/article244025332.html