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| February 8, 2005 President’s 2006 Budget Reveals Federal Government Is Still “Not Up to the Task” of HIV The release of President Bush’s budget earlier this week offered no news for the HIV community. It did however serve as a stark reminder: in the twenty-five year history of our domestic epidemic, the federal government has never been up to the task of leading or funding an effective response. As a result, HIV has spread to every community in this country. In the United States today, there are one million people living with the virus, and 40,000 new infections occur every year. We cannot and will not reduce the epidemic’s impact without strong leadership from our federal partners. Every official elected to federal office must support, both in word and in deed, programs and services that raise awareness of HIV, prevent new infections, and ensure that people living with HIV receive the care, treatment, and services they need to remain healthy. The president’s 2006 budget proposal supports the status quo, but what is really necessary at this juncture is an infusion of cash similar to what we saw with the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR): real money and swift action. AIDS Action calls on Congress now, as was the case with PEPFAR, to fund HIV programs at a level commensurate to needs here at home. AIDS Action will continue to work with its coalition partners to educate Congress and the Administration on the importance of these programs and advocate for higher levels of funding.
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