|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 24, 2008
|
|
|
Contact: Zach Goldberg
202-225-5801 (office) |
|
HOLT SUPPORTS HOUSE-PASSED BILL TO RENEW AND EXPAND GLOBAL
HIV/AIDS, TUBERCULOSIS, AND MALARIA LEGISLATION
|
|
|
(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Rep. Rush Holt (NJ-12) today supported the Tom Lantos and Henry J Hyde United States Global Leadership against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives with a bipartisan majority. The bill, which would reauthorize and expand the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, would provide $48 billion over five years for programs to combat these three lethal diseases around the world. President Bush is expected to sign the bill into law.
“President Bush deserves credit for his work on this issue. I have long supported this bold initiative that has made the U.S. a leader in this critical health and moral issue of our time,” Holt said. “By expanding its scope, we would reach far more people around the world and save them from these terrible diseases.”
While the first five years of the initiative operated on an emergency response policy, the bill’s new provisions would allow for the transition to long-term sustainability programs that can be maintained by the host countries. It would increase HIV/AIDS programs focusing on women and girls, work to better integrate the tuberculosis and malaria programs with the HIV/AIDS programs, double the U.S. contributions to the Global Fund, and strengthen language on countering HIV/AIDS for victims of sex trafficking.
Since its inception in 2003, the United States has invested more than $19 billion to combat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria and helped provide anti-retroviral drug treatments to approximately 1.5 million people with AIDS. It has also supported care for 6.6 million people —including 2.7 million orphans and vulnerable children—and helped to prevent more than 157,000 infant infections.
Upon passage, over the next five years, the bill would greatly expand funding for the initiative, authorizing $39 billion for HIV/AIDS programs, $5 billion for malaria programs, and $4 billion for tuberculosis programs. By 2013, U.S. support provided through PEPFAR could help prevent 12 million new HIV infections, provide medical and non medical care for 12 million people (including 5 million orphans), and train 140,000 new health care workers.
“I have heard from numerous Central New Jersey residents who are concerned about the growing AIDS epidemic. This legislation demonstrates the immense compassion Americans hold for the struggles we share as a global community,” Holt said. “When 6,000 people become infected with HIV everyday, we must offer a full commitment to fighting the disease.”
|
|
|
|
