Majority of U.S. voters support funding global vaccination effort: survey

The majority of U.S. voters support new federal funding for COVID-19 vaccinations in other countries, according to a survey released Wednesday that sheds light on attitudes while Congress stalls on a virus package that stripped out global funding completely.

The Morning Consult/Politico survey found that 56% of voters support funding vaccinations across the globe. It is a top priority for President Biden, who hopes that efforts to stymie the virus abroad will prevent new variants and surges in the U.S.

There is a partisan split, however, with three-quarters of Democrats backing global support while 37% of Republicans support it. Voters in both parties back global efforts by 2 to 3 more percentage points when asked about supporting low-income countries, in particular.

Bipartisan negotiators recently stripped $5 billion in global funding from a Senate deal to fight the virus, settling on a $10 billion package for domestic needs alone. The move angered House Democrats and the White House, which said it will seek additional funding from Congress later this spring.

Even the $10 billion is stuck in neutral. Senate Republicans don’t want to move forward unless there is a vote targeting Mr. Biden’s decision to lift Title 42, a pandemic order that allowed the U.S. to turn away migrants at the southern border.

The impasse prompted lawmakers to leave for an Easter recess without approving new funding.

The new survey found Americans broadly support federal funding for vaccinations within the U.S. Nearly 7 in 10 voters support it, including 85% of Democrats and 54% of Republicans.

The poll of 2,005 registered voters was conducted April 8-11 and has a margin of error of plus or minus percentage points.

For more information, visit The Washington Times COVID-19 resource page.