February 26, 2008

The Honorable Howard Berman                    The Honorable Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
Acting Chairman                                         Ranking Member
Committee on Foreign Affairs                       Committee on Foreign Affairs
U.S. House of Representatives                     U.S. House of Representatives   
Washington, D.C. 20515                              Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Representatives Berman and Ros-Lehtinen: 

This letter serves to express AIDS Action Council’s support for The Global HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008. We urge the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the full House of Representatives to move forward with the reauthorization in a prompt and timely manner with due consideration of proposed revisions to strengthen the original 2003 Act. It is AIDS Action’s hope that the reauthorizing legislation will be enacted well before the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) expires on September 30, 2008. 

AIDS Action expresses its general support for the reauthorization bill that will be considered by the full committee on February 26. We especially commend the comprehensive approach to program strategy called for in the draft bill, including linking HIV/AIDS services to family planning and contraceptive services for women and strong support for food security and nutrition support activities. We also commend the draft bill’s recognition of the continuing vulnerability to HIV/AIDS faced by men who have sex with men (MSM) and the need for programs and services to prevent transmission of HIV among MSM and to provide treatment for MSM infected with HIV. 

We draw particular attention to the following and urge that they be included in the bill adopted by the committee:

• A five year authorized spending level of $50 billion.
• Removal of the abstinence-until-marriage directive for the expenditure of HIV/AIDS prevention funds.
• Removal of the “prostitution pledge” requirement for groups or organizations receiving assistance.
• Increased support for HIV prevention and treatment services for injecting drug users and men who have sex with men.
• Inclusion of goal of supporting treatment for at least 3 million individuals with HIV/AIDS, including 450,000 children.
• Inclusion of goal of preventing 12 million new cases of HIV infection worldwide.
• Training of at least 140,000 new health care professional and community health workers.

Again Representatives Berman and Ros-Lehtinen, we urge prompt action to renew PEPFAR.

Thank you for your individual and joint leadership on this vital matter.

Sincerely,



Ronald Johnson
Deputy Executive Director

cc: Members, Committee on Foreign Affairs

AIDS Action

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