Somerset Times

Congressman Tom Kean Jr. has been honored with the Shot@Life Congressional Champion Award for his contributions to global child health and immunization initiatives. The award recognizes his efforts in Congress to support programs that promote access to vaccines worldwide.

"I am humbled to receive this award and thank Shot@Life for this recognition," stated Congressman Kean. He emphasized the importance of U.S. investments in initiatives like Gavi, which not only save lives but also encourage countries to enhance their financial commitments towards global health. "Together, let us continue our efforts in advancing global immunization and ensuring that every child, no matter where they are born, has access to life-saving vaccines and a healthier future."

Peter Yeo, President of the Better World Campaign, praised Representative Kean's leadership on Capitol Hill regarding global immunization efforts, particularly his support for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. "Gavi hasn’t just saved millions of children’s lives from vaccine-preventable diseases—it’s a proven model of sustainability and helps countries take ownership of their immunization programs," Yeo said. He acknowledged the strong partnership between Gavi and the U.S. government as instrumental in improving children's health and benefiting national economies.

In the last Congress session, Congressman Kean introduced a bipartisan resolution supporting continued U.S. assistance for purchasing vaccines through Gavi for lower-income countries as an effective strategy to reduce preventable child and maternal deaths globally.