Congresswoman Barbara Lee Applauds Passage of Global HIV/AIDS Relief Bill (PEPFAR)

Congresswoman Barbara Lee Applauds Passage

of Global HIV/AIDS Relief Bill (PEPFAR)

Bill includes Lee provision to remove US travel and immigration ban on people living with HIV/AIDS

Washington – Congresswoman Barbara Lee, co-author of the law creating the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) applauds passage of legislation today reauthorizing and extending PEPFAR for an additional five years.

The bill authorizes $48 billion to help millions of people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, by preventing 12 million new HIV infections, providing care for 12 million people, including 5 million children, training 140,000 new health care professionals, and providing treatment to at least 3 million people. 

“This bill is the latest in a long string of bipartisan initiatives on global HIV/AIDS that have been born out of a willingness to work together and put the United States on the right side of history when it comes to this global pandemic,” said Lee, a co-author of the legislation.  “Despite his failings on so many critical issues, the President deserves recognition for working with Congress to enact this important legislation.”

Among several provisions authored by Lee, the bill includes language removing the 33 percent abstinence earmark, expanding health capacity and strengthening health systems in developing countries, and removing the statutory ban on travel and immigration for people living with HIV/AIDS.

“I am so pleased that we were able to eliminate the unjust and discriminatory policy banning HIV/AIDS positive people from entering the United States,” said Lee.  “It’s far past time we got rid of this shameful policy.  I’m glad we were able to remove the statutory ban and pass this bill less than two weeks before the International AIDS Conference in Mexico City.”

Congresswoman Barbara Lee (Oakland-D) is an internationally recognized leader in the fight against the global HIV/AIDS pandemic. She co-authored legislation signed into law creating the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria in 2000, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in 2003, the PEPFAR Reauthorization Act in 2008 , and legislation addressing the needs of orphans and vulnerable children affected by HIV/AIDS in 2005.  She is the only member of Congress serving on both the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations which have jurisdiction over US global AIDS programs.

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