November 18, 2003
Washington, DC – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today applauded news that House and Senate budget negotiators agreed to provide $2.4 billion to fund authorizations contained in The United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act of 2003, even though President Bush’s budget requested only $2 billion for this fiscal year. The agreement was filed late last night, and final passage on the bill is expected tomorrow.
The conferees’ action came after Lee, joined by 109 Members of Congress, wrote negotiators on October 30, urging them to approve more than the President’s $2 billion request. Lee wrote, “The lives of millions of people in the developing world literally hinge upon” increased funding. Lee also wrote that additional funding was necessary “for the sake of the estimated 14 million children who have already been orphaned by AIDS.”
“Although the $2.4 billion falls short of the $3 billion we authorized back in May, this is still good news,” said Lee. “The additionally money gives us the opportunity to care for thousands of more individuals who are suffering from HIV/AIDS and will enable us to work toward preventing hundreds of thousands more from being victimized by this deadly disease.”
Lee was also pleased by reports that a total of $550 million in funding was to be earmarked for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, an international grant-making organization in Geneva that has committed $2.2 billion in the last two years to combat these three diseases. “Dr. Feachem and the entire Global Fund staff deserve our maximum support in light of the exemplary work that they have been doing,” said Lee.
“I thank my colleagues for realizing that this global pandemic is a humanitarian issue that transcends partisan politics,” said Lee.
Lee noted that the $2.4 billion would come from both the FY 04 Foreign Operations and Labor-HHS Appropriations bills.
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Congresswoman Barbara Lee Applauds Additional $400 Million for Global AIDS Act
Exceeds President Bush’s Request, But Falls Short of $3 Billion Authorization
Washington, DC – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today applauded news that House and Senate budget negotiators agreed to provide $2.4 billion to fund authorizations contained in The United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act of 2003, even though President Bush’s budget requested only $2 billion for this fiscal year. The agreement was filed late last night, and final passage on the bill is expected tomorrow.
The conferees’ action came after Lee, joined by 109 Members of Congress, wrote negotiators on October 30, urging them to approve more than the President’s $2 billion request. Lee wrote, “The lives of millions of people in the developing world literally hinge upon” increased funding. Lee also wrote that additional funding was necessary “for the sake of the estimated 14 million children who have already been orphaned by AIDS.”
“Although the $2.4 billion falls short of the $3 billion we authorized back in May, this is still good news,” said Lee. “The additionally money gives us the opportunity to care for thousands of more individuals who are suffering from HIV/AIDS and will enable us to work toward preventing hundreds of thousands more from being victimized by this deadly disease.”
Lee was also pleased by reports that a total of $550 million in funding was to be earmarked for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, an international grant-making organization in Geneva that has committed $2.2 billion in the last two years to combat these three diseases. “Dr. Feachem and the entire Global Fund staff deserve our maximum support in light of the exemplary work that they have been doing,” said Lee.
“I thank my colleagues for realizing that this global pandemic is a humanitarian issue that transcends partisan politics,” said Lee.
Lee noted that the $2.4 billion would come from both the FY 04 Foreign Operations and Labor-HHS Appropriations bills.
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