| June
23, 2006
This Week in Washington
1. Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations Bill May Face
Delays
2. PACHA Resolutions Support Ryan White Reauthorization and Address
Emerging Ambulatory HIV Crisis
Announcements
1. Ronald Johnson Named Deputy Director
2. June 27th is National HIV Testing Day
This Week in Washington
1. Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations Bill May Face
Delays
On Thursday, June 22nd, Democratic House Members invited lobbyists
from education, health and labor groups to discuss the status
of the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related
Agencies Appropriations bill (Labor-HHS). Representatives Steny
Hoyer (D-MD), Minority Whip, David Obey (D-WI), ranking member
on the House Appropriations Committee, George Miller (D-CA), ranking
member on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, and
Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), a member of the House Appropriations Committee
headed the meeting. Donna Crews, Director of Government Affairs
represented AIDS Action at the meeting. The Members said that
they want the public to understand that passage of the Labor-HHS
bill is likely to be slowed or blocked due to maneuvering over
votes to increase the minimum wage. In addition, the Democrats
expressed their concern that the appropriations level on the bill
is too low.
The maneuvering around minimum wage began when
Democrats managed to attach an amendment to increase the minimum
wage to the Labor-HHS bill that passed full committee with the
votes of seven Republican members of the committee. Many Republicans
will not vote for an increase in the minimum wage. Others have
said that the minimum wage measure is “legislating on appropriations”
rather than on an authorization bill. The Members now believe
that Labor–HHS will not be brought to the House floor until the
House leadership figures out how to have the minimum wage amendment
taken out of the appropriations bill.
Maneuvering is expected to continue during next
week’s debate of the Commerce, Justice, State Appropriations bill.
During that debate, Democrats plan to force a procedural vote
which would “rule” that allowing a minimum wage amendment on the
bill would be “in order.” The Members stated that they believe
this procedural vote may be the only vote which would directly
show support for an increase in the minimum wage in this Congress,
a key Democratic wedge issue for the 2006 election. (Such maneuvering
is common in election years. Last week Republicans in the Senate
forced votes on gay marriage and flag burning as election year
issues while this week, both the House and Senate debated the
Iraq war seeking to create voting records that could be scrutinized
during the elections).
The Members who convened the meeting want to
continue to work to get the minimum wage increased (for the first
time in 9 years). Prior to the conclusion of the meeting Rep.
Obey shared that he is extremely concerned about the low level
of funding for the Labor-HHS bill for FY 2007, he believes that
many Members may not be able to support this bill and may vote
No because of the very low funding levels. However, although he
thought that it was unlikely, if the minimum wage increase remains
in the Labor-HHS bill when it comes to the House floor for a vote,
Democrats will have to give serious consideration to voting in
favor of the bill, even at the low funding levels.
2. PACHA Resolutions Support
Ryan White Reauthorization and Addressing Emerging Ambulatory
HIV Crisis
On June 19th and 20th the thirtieth meeting of the Presidential
Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA) was held at the Health and
Human Services Building in Washington D.C. Marty McGeein, Deputy
Assistant Secretary for Disability, Aging and Long Term Care Policy
in the Office of Assistant Secretary of Planning and Evaluation,
Department of Health and Human Services, told council members
that President Bush was “intensely interested in this issue” reminding
council members about the administration’s principles for reauthorization
and President Bush’s statements from the 2005 and 2006 State of
the Union Addresses in support of reauthorization. She said that
the Senate and House have been engaged in ongoing bi-partisan,
bicameral negotiations to create legislation acceptable to both
the House and Senate and to Republicans and Democrats. Ms. McGeein
has been directly involved in the negotiations, representing the
administration’s point of view.
Ms. McGeein reported that the reauthorization
was being held up in the House of Representatives due to a lack
of sufficient data to create an accurate model of the outcomes
of several possible Title I and Title II formula allocation variations.
She said that her department within the Department of Health and
Human Services would be doing data runs, but that they do not
have enough of the initial data to effectively accomplish the
run. She was unable to predict when the runs would be accomplished,
but said that it was likely the bill could be completed swiftly
once effective data runs had been accomplished.
On the subject of treatment and care, Dr. Michael
Saag, Director of the UAB Center for AIDS Research spoke on the
state of Ryan White funded healthcare clinics around the country.
Dr. Saag noted that while patient burden has gone up 40%-60% in
the last five years, Ryan White funding for these clinics has
either been flat funded or cut 2.5%. “While almost everyone agrees
that universal, opt-out testing of HIV is a needed step, it is
also a step that demands that we fund the basic care that our
new patients are going to need as a result of added testing.”
Along with the increased workload, Dr. Saag warned that inefficient
bureaucratic practices such as an hour long process per prescription
per patient was wearing on health care providers. “The healthcare
social safety net rests on the assumption that health care workers
give a damn, if they stop caring, we are all in trouble.”
On the subject of prevention, Dr. Peter Leone,
Associate Professor of Infectious Diseases at UNC emphasized men
having sex with men and women (MSM/W’s) as well as colleges, bars
and the internet as prime factors in the spread of HIV. Since
the main way HIV is transmitted is through sex, Dr. Leone’s research
focused on identifying the potential networks that exacerbate
the spread of HIV. In terms of MSM/W’s, his research showed that
these individuals many times act as a bridge between the homosexual
and heterosexual communities, and also that one third of college
students in his study reported MSM/W in the last 12 months. Dr.
Leone urged the council to target its efforts at the internet,
bars, and most notably colleges in order to affect some of the
most at risk populations as well as deter further spread of the
virus to the more general population.
Two resolutions passed as a result of the meeting
came from the Treatment and Care Subcommittee. Treatment and Care
Subcommittee Resolution #1 stated that “the council fully supports”
the current Ryan White CARE Act language that is now before Congress.
It was approved unanimously. “While there is certainly a need
for changes, appropriations increases don’t seem to be on the
table,” said Dr. Robert Redfield, Chairman of the International
Subcommittee. The council worried that anything short of unwavering
support of the CARE Act would simply muddy the waters and give
ammunition to those that wish to stop the legislation.
Treatment and Care Subcommittee Resolution #2,
Addressing the Emerging Ambulatory
HIV Crisis in the United States, was also passed unanimously
by the Council. The resolution was introduced largely in reaction
to Dr. Saag’s presentation. It calls for policies that encourage
individuals to enter the field of HIV and for relief from financial
pressures and bureaucratic obstacles encountered by healthcare
clinics. In order to entice more recruits to enter HIV practice,
the Council discussed programs such as the expansion of the National
Health Service Corps, tuition reimbursement, and direct incentives
for entering the field. However, the Council did not include such
specific program recommendations in the resolution.
The meeting concluded with the Prevention Subcommittee
offering suggestions for further research. The Subcommittee agreed
that the spread of HIV as a result of meeting over the internet,
meetings at bars, and at colleges needed further attention and
action. However, they concluded that further research would be
needed because of the sensitivity of the subject. According to
some subcommittee members, many colleges, most notably historically
black colleges and universities, are hesitant to act directly
on HIV because of the stigma that may come with acting and speaking
publicly on the issue. The Council decided to put off any resolution
on the issue until they could study it more and come up with a
plan that would sufficiently address this concern.
Announcements
1. Ronald Johnson Named Deputy Director
On June 20, 2006, AIDS Action announced the appointment of Ronald
S. Johnson as Deputy Director. Mr. Johnson, a long-time AIDS Action
board member and a national and local HIV/AIDS public policy and
governmental affairs veteran, will begin his new responsibilities
in early September. According to Rebecca Haag, Executive Director,
Johnson will oversee the Public Policy and Government Affairs
staff and functions at the Council, bringing nearly four decades
of expertise in HIV/AIDS and health care policy issues to the
nation’s capital.
“I have admired Ronald’s work for many years,”
said Haag. “We already have a strong team doing incredible work
in policy and government, and Ronald will provide strategic direction
and oversight. He is a superb analyst, presenter, advocate and
collaborator, and has a track record of creating and managing
high performance teams. He shares my vision that those of us working
in HIV must enact a more horizontal strategy and create partnerships
with those engaged in other areas of healthcare, across disabilities,
and including related businesses and institutions.”
Johnson is currently an Associate Executive
Director at Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) in New York, where
he directs its public policy and advocacy functions as part of
senior management. GMHC is a founding member of AIDS Action Council
and is the nation’s first and largest AIDS organization. Johnson
joined GMHC in 1997. Immediately prior, he served as the Citywide
Coordinator for AIDS Policy in the Office of the Mayor, City of
New York, at which time he also served as City Co-Chair of the
HIV Health and Human Services Planning Council, which sets the
priorities for the use of funds under Title I of the Ryan White
Care Act. He also has served as Executive Director of the Minority
Task force on AIDS in New York.
His volunteer activities are just as distinctive
as his work roles. Current Board memberships include Positive
Health Project, the New York AIDS Coalition and AIDS Action Council
(from which he will resign when he joins its staff). Past Board
memberships include the NAMES Project, the National Black Lesbian
and Gay Leadership Forum, Positive Body, Lambda Legal Defense
and Education Fund and GMHC. He formerly served as a member of
the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS and is currently
a member of the National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS.
Johnson is a person living with HIV, diagnosed in 1989.
His areas of expertise include topics that are
top priority in shaping the landscape of HIV/AIDS public policy
and government affairs, including HIV prevention, access to affordable
healthcare, disparity issues, and HIV research.
"Adding Ronald to Rebecca’s team at AIDS
Action Council demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that we
are best equipped with experience and expertise as issues around
this epidemic become more complex and intricate," said Katy
Caldwell, Board Chair of the Council and Executive Director, Legacy
Community Health Services in Houston, Tex.
AIDS Action Council is a national membership
organization dedicated to the development, analysis, cultivation
and encouragement of sound policies and programs in response to
the HIV epidemic. AIDS Action members represent nearly 100 ASOs,
health departments and other organizations in 30 states plus the
District of Columbia serving more than 100,000 people every day.
The Council ensures broad access to information as well as lobbying
and advocacy work in the nation's capital on behalf of those living
with HIV. The Urban Coalition for HIV/AIDS Prevention Services
(UCHAPS) is a Council member in the seven metropolitan areas that
represent more than a third of the nation’s cumulative AIDS cases
and are the epicenters of the nation’s urban HIV epidemic. Council
member AIDS Education and Training Centers (AETCs) train more
than 100,000 service providers annually. For more information,
visit www.aidsaction.org.
A link to this press release is located at:
http://www.aidsaction.org/communications/press-releases/062006.htm
2. June 27th is National
HIV Testing Day
Tuesday, June 27, 2006 is National HIV Testing Day sponsored annually
by the National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA) they describe
National HIV Testing Day as a day “to encourage at-risk individuals
to receive voluntary HIV counseling and testing.” According to
its website NAPWA advocates “on behalf of all people living with
HIV and AIDS in order to end the pandemic and human suffering
caused by HIV/AIDS.”
In its 10th year of existence National HIV Testing
Day underscores the important and unique role HIV positive individuals
can and do play in the prevention of new HIV infections as well
as the underscores the importance of counseling being delivered
with an HIV test. Today HIV tests are quick easy and often blood
free. A simple swab of the cheek and a 20 minute wait will allow
everyone to know their HIV status. It is an important test for
everyone to take.
For more information please visit NAPWA’s website:
http://www.napwa.org
.
The AIDS Action Weekly Update
The Weekly Update is written
with a mind toward the interests of our members. If you are interested
in membership with AIDS Action, we invite you to contact members@aidsaction.org.
AIDS Action works
to end the HIV epidemic by advancing public policies that
prevent new infections, provide care for people living with
HIV, and support the search for a cure. AIDS Action serves
as the national voice for people living with HIV and represents
AIDS service organizations, health departments, and a diverse
network of community-based organizations across the country. |
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