Funding for Global AIDS Programs

September 4, 1998

ISSUE:

Funding for global AIDS programs overseen by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has not increased since 1993, despite a vast expansion of the AIDS pandemic. In January 1998 many U.S.-based organizations concerned with AIDS wrote President Clinton urging a 15 percent increase in fiscal year 1999 funding (from $121 million to $139 million) within an overall increase in the account.

The House Appropriations Committee in June called for a 2 percent increase (bringing the total to $125 million) in report language. The Senate called for level funding in bill language. The attached letter urges that the higher number be accepted in conference as bill language. The letter was composed by National Organizations Responding to AIDS (NORA). The Presbyterian Church (USA) is not a member of NORA but we work with them through our connection with the AIDS National Interfaith Network (ANIN).

If the proposed 2 percent increase is accepted and signed into law, it would add $4 million to be used in combating the devastating effect of global AIDS. It would be the first increase in six years for USAID global AIDS programs.

ACTION:

1) Contact Rep. Sonny Callahan (R-Ala.), chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs. Urge him that increased funding for global HIV/AIDS programs be retained in the conference bill (see letter for background information). Thank him for his leadership in the House.

Rep. Sonny Callahan
Appropriations Subcommittee for Foreign Operations
2418 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515

2) If your Representative is a member of the subcommittee, write to express thanks and urge him or her to work for increased funding. Identify yourself as a Presbyterian and explain why this is important to you as a member of a community of faith. Members of the subcommittee are:

Republicans:
Callahan (Ala.), Chair
Porter (Ill.)
Wolf (Va.)
Packard (Calif.)
Knollenberg (Mich.)
Forbes (N.Y.)
Kingston (Ga.)
Frelinghuysen (N.J.).

Democrats:
Pelosi (Calif.), Ranking minority member
Yates (Ill.)
Lowey (N.Y.)
Torres (Calif.)
Kaptur (Ohio)

Honorable ________
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

3) Contact your Senators and ask them to support additional funding for global HIV/AIDS programs. Ask that this increase not be at the expense of other health and development programs.

Honorable ________
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Capitol switchboard: (202) 224-3121

BACKGROUND:

The following letter was drafted by National Organizations Responding to AIDS (NORA) and may be adapted to serve as a model for your communications with Congress.

September 8, 1998
Rep. Sonny Callahan
Appropriations Subcommittee for Foreign Operations
2418 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Re: Increased funding for global HIV/AIDS programs

Dear Mr. Chairman:

As members of the National Organizations Responding to AIDS (NORA) coalition, we are writing to thank you for your consistent leadership in Congress in support of U.S. global child survival and infectious disease programs, including HIV/AIDS. NORA is a coalition of over 175 health, labor, religious, and professional advocacy groups that represent a broad consensus on HIV and AIDS- related issues, policy, and funding levels. As Congress moves towards finalizing the FY99 budget, your leadership and commitment to these worldwide health crises is needed more than ever.

In the coming weeks, the House and Senate conferees will meet to approve a final foreign aid spending bill for FY 1999. We urge the conferees to include in its bill statutory language providing for not less than $125 million for global AIDS programs. By way of background, the House Appropriations Committee has approved an increase from $121 million to $125 million for global AIDS programs in 1999. The Senate Appropriations Committee has provided "not less than $121 million." In the final bill we strongly encourage the inclusion of statutory language providing for "not less than $125 million" for global AIDS programming. Finally, we urge both the House and Senate to ensure that this additional funding for HIV/AIDS does not come at the expense of other health and development programs. Therefore, we urge the conferees to increase the total appropriation for development assistance.

UNAIDS and WHO [World Health Organization] estimate that more than 30 million people around the world are now living with HIV. This number includes 1.1 million children and 12.1 million women. The 1997 infection rate, 16,000 infections each day, represents an alarming one-year increase of more than 15 percent in 1997 alone. Because of the recent explosion of HIV infection rates around the globe, we strongly urge you to do all you can to support increased funding for global HIV/AIDS. We also urge you to ensure that any funding increases for global HIV/AIDS issues include an overall increase in the Development Assistance Account, including the section for Child Survival and Infectious Diseases. Be assured that we will do our job to continue advocacy efforts to increase funding for this account in the future.

The global human family is greatly endangered by the HIV/AIDS pandemic, which continues to expand unchecked. Again, thank you for all you have done in the past to help fight this global threat. We, and millions around the world, count on your continued leadership.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY GUIDANCE:

The 1990 Assembly addressed the issue of international AIDS work. Its action resulted in the Stated Clerk of the Presbyterian Church (USA) sending letters to the President and key members of Congress, urging that the United States pay its obligations in arrears to the United Nations, since this shortfall in funding was jeopardizing the funding of World Health Organization research and education for AIDS in Africa. Within the PC(USA), the Office of Health Ministries continues to support AIDS work in Africa and other countries.