; and (Q) yaws (endemic treponematoses). 6. Rule of construction Nothing in this Act shall be construed to increase authorizations of appropriations for the United States Agency for International Development. 7. Expansion of United States Agency for International Development Neglected Tropical Diseases Program (a) Findings Congress finds the following: (1) Since fiscal year 2006, the United States Government has been an essential leader in global efforts to control seven targeted neglected tropical diseases: lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis), onchocerciasis (river blindness), schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiases (roundworm, whipworm, and hookworm), and trachoma. Additional information suggests that such efforts could also produce collateral benefits for at least three other neglected tropical diseases: foodborne trematodiases, scabies, and yaws (endemic treponematoses). (2) The United States Government is a partner in the London Declaration on Neglected Tropical Diseases (2012), which represents a new, coordinated international push to accelerate progress toward eliminating or controlling 10 NTDs by 2020. (3) While many of the most common NTDs have safe, easy to use, and effective treatments, treatment options for the NTDs with the highest death rates, including human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), visceral leishmaniasis, and Chagas disease, are extremely limited. (4) The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Neglected Tropical Diseases Program has made important and substantial contributions to the global fight to control and eliminate 5 of the most common NTDs. Leveraging more than $15,700,000,000 in donated medicines, USAID has supported the distribution of more than 1 billion treatments in 31 countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean. (5) Since 2014, the USAID Neglected Tropical Diseases Program has been investing in research and development for the treatment of certain NTDs to ensure that promising new breakthrough medicines can be