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America’s responsibility to strengthen global health security through partnerships and innovation

By Daniel Garza, Aidan Clements

Rep. Troy Carter Sr. (D-LA) speaks at Center Forward’s Health Summit Summit on Wednesday, September 17, 2025 in Washington, D.C.

Collaboration between different sides of the aisle can save lives. This was the goal of Center Forward’s Annual Health Summit, convening a bipartisan slate of lawmakers for four substantive panels focused on the state of U.S. healthcare policy. The program spotlighted areas where cross-party cooperation remains possible and essential, and guests looked to the future where innovations and new ways of thinking can create impactful differences in the lives of patients and providers.

The conversation turned to international health issues in a panel featuring Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA), speaking on the importance of a global health infrastructure and foreign aid. This structure is not only a means to provide those in need with assistance, but also as a way to promote domestic security, diminishing the risk of global pandemics and promoting global collaboration. Topics also included the success of coordinating private business and government initiatives to improve program execution and effectiveness. Success stories like PEPFAR served as an illustrative example in these conversations. 

“The United States must be part of this conversation, because when we fail to address global issues, they spin into our ecosystems. We have the technology, the research, and the resources to do so,” said Rep. Carter. He later added, “Working in a bipartisan vein has been discouraged, but we have a responsibility to work together… We depend on the expertise of our advocates and our professional leaders. There is always room for collaboration and education”. 

Across the board, speakers emphasized that the healthcare space can still lend itself to bipartisan progress. Center Forward’s Annual Health Summit affirmed that pragmatic solutions can emerge when Members of Congress come together to support innovation, lower costs, and increase access for all Americans.