[e-drug] Action needed on global aids funding

[Paul Davis <pdavis@critpath.org>]

E-drug: Action needed on global aids funding
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Phone calls needed NOW - call the Congressional Switchboard 
+1-202-224.3121

Barbara Lee will introduce as early as tomorrow (Thursday) an
amendment to the House Foreign Operations Budget that will add
$60 million to the paltry U.S. contribution to the Global AIDS and
Health Fund. This $60M will be on top of the $100 in the
underlying bill, which is a part of the money the President already
asked for. (The other half of the Bush $200M comes from a
different budget account and is not included in this bill.)

This important amendment seeking contributions to the Global AIDS
and Health Fund is likely to hit the House floor Thursday July 18
(tomorrow).

PLEASE call 202.224.3121 and ask the switchboard to put you
through to representative. 

Ask the representatives to support Barbara Lee's amendment
seeking money for the Global Fund on Thursday.

Mention that you would support a much higher contribution from
the wealthiest country in the world than the $60M in the
amendment plus the $100 million in the underlying bill.

If you can endorse this important amendment, send-e-mail to:
mark@pedaids.org or natasha@pedaids.org

Next week: important Senate Appropriations vote!

Below is information from the Pediatric AIDS Foundation about
Representative Barbara Lee's amendment.

Paul Davis
pdavis@critpath.org
_____________________________________________________
ACT UP Philadelphia
Health GAP Coalition
+1 215.474.6886 direct
+1 215.474.4793 fax
+1 215.731.1844 ACT UP

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July 18, 2001

Dear Representative:

The organizations listed below urge you to vote 'yes' on the Lee/Leach
amendment that will be offered during consideration of the FY 2002 Foreign
Operations Appropriations bill this week. The amendment provides an
additional $60 million, for a total of $160 million, for the Global AIDS
and
Health Trust fund. This amendment will bring us closer to the $750 million
authorization amount that was agreed to by the House International
Relations
committee last month. This additional funding is offset by $38 million from
the
Andean Anti-Narcotic Initiative for military spending in Peru only, and $22
million in Foreign Military Finance funding across the board, excluding
Israel
and Egypt. 

This amendment is urgently needed to address the devastating global
HIV/AIDS pandemic. Worldwide, over 36 million people are living with
HIV/AIDS. Over 5 million new infections occur each year, including 600,000
in children under the age of 15. In some countries, more than 30 percent of
the
adult population is infected with the disease, and by 2010, it is estimated
that
AIDS will orphan 44 million children. Tragically, these numbers will only
continue to increase unless there is an immediate and effective response
appropriate to the enormity of the problem. 

While Africa is currently the continent most affected by the HIV/AIDS
epidemic, many other parts of the world are demonstrating alarming
infection
rates. A multilateral response to the global AIDS crisis is an essential
mechanism to engage international donors and to initiate a coordinated
response
to the global AIDS pandemic. Because AIDS fuels economic, military and
social instability around the world, a significant contribution to the
Global
AIDS and Health Trust Fund is a wise political and national security
investment for the United States.

The world has reached a critical juncture in its efforts against HIV/AIDS.
Last
month at the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS,
world leaders, international HIV/AIDS experts, economists and members of
civil society from around the world called for $7-10 billion to fight the
global
AIDS pandemic. We agree that the United States must take a leadership role
in
addressing the epidemic and contribute its fair share as we work to
leverage
additional funds to make this fight a truly global effort. It must be
emphasized
that such an effort should not come at the expense of the other global
health
and development programs of the federal government. Traditionally, Congress
has led the way on these issues and we implore you to continue to do more. 

We call on you to support the Lee/Leach amendment for global AIDS and send
a strong message that the U.S. is committed to eradicating HIV/AIDS from
the
face of the earth, once and for all. 

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
Global Health Council
San Francisco AIDS Foundation


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