As the new millennium approaches, we enjoy an historically high budget surplus - more than $1.8 trillion over 10 years and $211 billion in FY2001 alone - while at the same time, we confront the single greatest threat to human life - the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Final negotiations on the Foreign Operations bill will determine what level of commitment the United States will make toward resolving the AIDS crisis. The United States Congress and the President most recently authorized $570 million per year for FY 2001 and FY 2002 for global HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis programs as part of the Global AIDS and Tuberculosis Relief Act of 2000. This is a laudable accomplishment but remains mere rhetoric without action on the appropriations side.

The people whose lives hang in the balance are our brothers and sisters whose well-being should be of utmost concern to us. They are as well providers of many of our natural resources; they are our business partners; they are present and future consumers of US products. Yet, in reality, they remain captives. As economically, socially, and culturally disempowered individuals in the developing world, they remain captive to a disease that is wiping out entire generations.

The Global AIDS and Tuberculosis Relief Act

The Global AIDS and Tuberculosis Relief Act of 2000 is one part of a positive solution. It will provide funding for primary prevention and education, voluntary testing and counseling, medications to prevent the transmission of HIV and AIDS from mother to child, and care for those already living with HIV/AIDS. Additionally, it will establish a trust fund housed at, but not run by the World Bank, with an initial US contribution of $150 million. This trust fund, with the leveraging power to gain additional international funding, will make grants available to governments and non-governmental organizations in developing countries to address HIV/AIDS. These grants will provide funding for programs that promote best practices and prevention, voluntary HIV/AIDS testing and counseling, measures to stop mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS, ensure a safe blood supply and ensure support and education for AIDS orphans. Separately, the bill authorizes $50 million for the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations (GAVI), designed to reach children who remain unimmunized to preventable diseases. The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative has been authorized to receive $10 million for the development of an AIDS vaccine.

Discerning our actions: What we think

We continue to advocate for a holistic solution to the AIDS crisis, with a focus on the many contributing factors to the present situation: poverty, inadequate health care infrastructure, little-to-no access to drugs to treat both opportunistic infections and HIV/AIDS, the lack of effective counseling and voluntary testing programs, gender discrimination, denial of basic human rights, lack of clean water, few educational opportunities, and trade practices that do not allow developing countries to negotiate on equal footing with industrialized countries.

Nevertheless, the Global AIDS and Tuberculosis Act of 2000, fully funded, marks the beginning of a constructive US contribution in addressing the crisis. In Sub-Saharan Africa alone, where 23 million people are presently infected with HIV, UNAIDS estimates that $3 billion is needed to tackle the AIDS crisis. At present the Senate and House have agreed to a total of around $300 million for global AIDS in the 2001 budget; specifically, there is $254 million in the House, and $255 million in the Senate, for USAID on AIDS, plus some funds for GAVI. As members of the wealthiest and most advantaged society on earth, however, we have a moral obligation to respond with the highest-level commitment possible in addressing the pandemic. Thus we urge full funding of the Global AIDS and Tuberculosis Relief Act of 2000, drawing upon new funds, not reaching into other allocations for development aid and debt relief.

ACTION

Time is of the essence, as Congress seeks to conclude its work by October 15th. Call Senators at 202/224-3121; call Members of the House of Representatives at 202/225-3121. It is always valuable to let your own members know of your concerns. However, it is also key to contact those who are most central to the decision making. Below are the phone numbers for members of the House and Senate Foreign Operations subcommittee. When calling, ask for the staff person that works on the foreign aid bill or that is responsible for funding related to the global AIDS crisis.

Rep. Callahan, Sonny: (202) 225-4931; fax: (202) 225-0562
Rep. Jackson, Jesse: (202) 225-0773; fax: (202) 225-0899
Rep. Kilpatrick, Carolyn Cheeks: (202) 225-2261 fax: (202) 225-5730
Rep. Kingston, Jack: (202) 225-5831 fax: (202) 226-2269
Rep. Knollenberg, Joseph: (202) 225-5802 fax: (202) 226-2356
Rep. Lewis, Jerry: (202) 225-5861 fax: (202) 225-6498
Rep. Lowey, Nita M: (202) 225-6506 fax: (202) 225-0546
Rep. Obey, David R: (202) 225-3365
Rep. Packard, Ron: (202) 225-3906 fax: (202) 225-0134
Rep. Pelosi, Nancy: (202) 225-4965 fax: (202) 225-8259
Rep. Porter, John Edward: (202) 225-4835 fax: (202) 225-0837
Rep. Sabo, Martin Olav: (202) 225-4755 fax:(202) 225-4886
Rep. Wicker, Roger F.: (202) 225-4306 fax: (202) 225-3549
Rep. Wolf, Frank R.: (202) 225-5136 fax: (202) 225-0437
Rep. Young, C.W.: (202) 225-5961 fax: (202) 225-9764

Sen. Bennett, Robert F.: (202) 224-5444 fax:(202) 228-1168
Sen. Bond, Christopher S.: (202) 224-5721 fax: (202) 224-8149
Sen. Byrd, Robert C.: (202) 224-3954 fax: (202) 228-0002
Sen. Campbell, Ben Nighthorse: (202) 224-5852 fax: (202) 224-1933
Sen. Gregg, Judd: (202) 224-3324 fax: (202) 224-4952
Sen. Harkin, Tom: (202) 224-3254 fax: (202) 224-9369
Sen. Inouye, Daniel K.: (202) 224-3934 fax:(202) 224-6747
Sen. Lautenberg, Frank R.: (202) 224-4744 fax: (202) 224-9707
Sen. Leahy, Patrick J.: (202) 224-4242
Sen. McConnell, Mitch: (202) 224-2541 fax: (202) 224-2499
Sen. Mikulski, Barbara A.: (202) 224-4654 fax: (202) 224-8858
Sen. Murray, Patty: (202) 224-2621 fax: (202) 224-0238
Sen. Shelby, Richard C.: (202) 224-5744 fax: (202) 224-3416
Sen. Specter, Arlen: (202) 224-4254 fax: (202) 228-1229
Sen. Stevens, Ted: (202) 224-3004 fax: (202) 224-2354

General Assembly Guidance

The 1994 Assembly resolution on "Compassionate Ministry in Dealing with the Issue of Aids," states:

"We acknowledge that we are a global community. While the scourge of AIDS is devastating to the United States, it is much greater in magnitude in other parts of the world community. We recognize our responsibility to encourage AIDS education and prevention policies . . . "

If you have questions about the content of this Action Alert, please contact Catherine Gordon at cgordon@ctr.pcusa.org or call the Washington Office at (202) 543-1126.