Calling themselves "impatient optimists," Bill and Melinda Gates plan to talk directly to lawmakers and others in Washington D.C. tonight to push for continuing U.S. funding for global health.

CHUCK BURTON/ASSOCIATED PRESS

The Gates will tout the success of foreign aid, including contributiosn to the GAVI Alliance, a global initiative to immunize children in poor countries, which has prevented an estimated 3.4 million deaths over the last decade.

"In our visits to developing countries, Bill and I have met countless people who are alive, healthy, and productive as a result of U.S. global health programs," Melinda Gates said today. "We want Americans to know how much their generosity is accomplishing, and how much it's appreciated."

U.S. spending on global health has increased steadily, but it still makes up less than one percent of the federal budget. It was close to $8 billion this year, up from $1.5 billion in 2001.

The U.S. has started some ambitious development projects, even though the country's top post on foreign aid remains unfilled, and many pressing issues are vying for resources and attention.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has become an increasingly important and active player in global health and development. Its annual budget is more than $3.5 billion, and about half of that goes toward global health. The United Nation's annual budget is just under $4.2 billion.

The couple started a project called Living Proof to promote the success such funding has achieved in developing countries. Positive stories about foreign aid aren't getting told, they say.

The Gates Foundation has spent about $12 billion on global health since 1994.

Their aim is to cut the number of child deaths in half worldwide by 2025. Preventable deaths of children under five have declined worldwide to about 9 million in 2007 from 12.6 million in 1990, despite population growth, according to this report.

The presentation will be webcast live at www.livingproofproject.org at 4 p.m. Pacific.