I am so glad James Burns salutes “the pursuit of peace in a war-torn world” (special column, Sun Journal, June 14). America is leading the world in many areas that bring about peace, such as fighting disease, poverty and hunger.

By pledging support to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, and also to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the U.S. inspires other donors to support that life-saving work.

By supporting micro-finance, America helps the poor around the world to work themselves out of poverty.

With the food stamp program at home and nutrition aid abroad, America helps to end hunger.

Legislation to be presented soon in Congress will put into law changes in U.S. aid that will make this country’s developmental assistance more efficient and give Congress oversight, as America works to end the preventable deaths of children (currently 17,000 a day) and mothers (currently 289,000 a year) in this world.

What can be better at creating peace than saving lives and strengthening families and communities?

People should take time to thank their elected representatives for supporting that work.

Willie Dickerson, Snohomish, Wash.