October 15, 2003
Washington, DC – Despite an attempt by the Bush Administration to delay the fourth round of Global Fund grants to fight AIDS, TB, and malaria, the Executive Board of the Global Fund agreed today in a meeting in Thailand to initiate a call for the next round of grants on January 10, 2004. The Administration retreated after AIDS groups publicly questioned the Administration’s commitment to advocating for AIDS funding. The decision also came after a bipartisan group of Congress, led by Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA), wrote a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson asking for prompt action in support of an early call for the fourth round of funding.
The Global Fund was established through bipartisan legislation sponsored by Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Congressman Jim Leach (D-IA) in the 106th Congress. Since 2002, the Global Fund has signed a number of two-year grant agreements totaling over $1 billion and has disbursed $139 million to fight HIV, AIDS, and tuberculosis around the globe.
In his State of the Union Address this year, President Bush declared himself to be a proponent of AIDS funding, calling for $15 billion over five years to fight a disease that kills 3 million each year. Shortly thereafter, the Congress passed and the President signed into law legislation that would provide $3 billion per year. Throughout his recent trip to Africa, Bush touted that legislation, even though his own budget called for only $2 billion this year.
The October 15 letter from Lee, Leach, Congressman Tom Lantos (D-CA), and Congressman Sherrod Brown (D-IA) told Thompson that delaying the fourth round would “set a bad precedent for the Fund” because it would “signal a lack of international commitments and consequently will reduce confidence in the Fund itself.”
Separately, Lee said, “By attempting to delay the fourth round, the Administration was projecting a lack of urgency in the fight against AIDS.”
AIDS advocacy groups applauded the letter and the recent decision by the Global Fund to proceed with the fourth round of grants early next year. But they cautioned that the Global Fund remains under-funded and will require an influx of new resources from the United States and other donor nations in order to fulfill the promise of its mission.
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Congresswoman Barbara Lee Applauds Global Fund Decision to Avoid Bush Administration’s Delay Attempt and Proceed with Fourth Round of Funding Grants
Letter from Legislators to Secretary Thompson Instrumental in Avoiding Delay
Washington, DC – Despite an attempt by the Bush Administration to delay the fourth round of Global Fund grants to fight AIDS, TB, and malaria, the Executive Board of the Global Fund agreed today in a meeting in Thailand to initiate a call for the next round of grants on January 10, 2004. The Administration retreated after AIDS groups publicly questioned the Administration’s commitment to advocating for AIDS funding. The decision also came after a bipartisan group of Congress, led by Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA), wrote a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson asking for prompt action in support of an early call for the fourth round of funding.
The Global Fund was established through bipartisan legislation sponsored by Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Congressman Jim Leach (D-IA) in the 106th Congress. Since 2002, the Global Fund has signed a number of two-year grant agreements totaling over $1 billion and has disbursed $139 million to fight HIV, AIDS, and tuberculosis around the globe.
In his State of the Union Address this year, President Bush declared himself to be a proponent of AIDS funding, calling for $15 billion over five years to fight a disease that kills 3 million each year. Shortly thereafter, the Congress passed and the President signed into law legislation that would provide $3 billion per year. Throughout his recent trip to Africa, Bush touted that legislation, even though his own budget called for only $2 billion this year.
The October 15 letter from Lee, Leach, Congressman Tom Lantos (D-CA), and Congressman Sherrod Brown (D-IA) told Thompson that delaying the fourth round would “set a bad precedent for the Fund” because it would “signal a lack of international commitments and consequently will reduce confidence in the Fund itself.”
Separately, Lee said, “By attempting to delay the fourth round, the Administration was projecting a lack of urgency in the fight against AIDS.”
AIDS advocacy groups applauded the letter and the recent decision by the Global Fund to proceed with the fourth round of grants early next year. But they cautioned that the Global Fund remains under-funded and will require an influx of new resources from the United States and other donor nations in order to fulfill the promise of its mission.
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