Barbara Lee Applauds House Passage of Global HIV/AIDS Initiative
Press Release
For Immediate Release: April 2, 2008
Contact: Cleve Mesidor, (202) 225-2661
(Washington, DC) – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-9) released the following statement in support of the bipartisan House passage of H.R.5501, the Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act:
“As one of the five original co-authors of both the initial legislation establishing the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in 2003, and of this new bill re-authorizing PEPFAR, I am pleased with the bipartisan passage of H.R.5501, the Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act. There is perhaps no other piece of legislation that Congress will consider this year that will have greater impact on the lives of people around the world.
“I am saddened that Chairman Lantos and Chairman Hyde are no longer with us to witness this moment. Indeed, they would be proud of this bipartisan compromise. But as in all compromises, there were things that our colleagues on the other side of the aisle had to concede and others that we had to give up. But we ended up with a good bill that includes some important items that I have worked on to help ensure the sustainability of PEPFAR.
“The legislation includes language taken from two of my bills: The PATHWAY Act, HR 1713, which strikes the 33 percent abstinence-until-marriage and provides a comprehensive prevention strategy to address the needs of women and girls, and HR 3812, the African Health Capacity and Investment Act, which seeks to build health capacity by recruiting, training, and retaining health professionals and strengthen health systems.
“A key provision that was missing from the House bill, however, was language from my bill, HR 3337, the HIV Non-Discrimination in Travel and Immigration Act, which would overturn the current travel and immigration ban on people living with HIV/AIDS who wish to enter the United States. I’m happy that the Senate version of PEPFAR does adopt the language to eliminate the ban. I will work with my colleagues to make sure that when we get to conference, the ban is repealed once and for all.
“US leadership in the global fight against HIV/AIDS must not be limited in its capacity to combat this deadly disease. I have witnessed firsthand the dramatic impact of our AIDS programs on individuals and communities throughout the world and I will continue to push our nation to go further.
“Going forward, Congress must work to eliminate the prostitution pledge loyalty oath, which violates the first amendment and poses an unnecessary barrier to organizations that work with sex workers; eliminate ideological restrictions imposed by the global gag rule, recognizing the public health benefits of linking our HIV/AIDS programs with family planning services, and; fully fund recruitment, training, and retention programs for health professionals to build capacity and strengthen health systems.
Congresswoman Barbara Lee is Co-Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus a serves on the Appropriations Committee. She co-authored legislation creating the framework for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria in 2000, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief in 2003, and legislation on orphans and vulnerable children affected by HIV/AIDS in 2005.
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