Senators act to fund the fight against HIV/AIDS

Mozambique: Girl working on an AIDS banner as part of an education project. Photo: PEDRA 2004

March 28, 2007

Last week Church World Service’s Speak Out action advocates sprung into action successfully asking their Senators to support the Dodd-Smith Amendment to allow full funding of the 2008 International Affairs Budget. On Friday, March 23 the Senate passed the amendment by unanimous consent, adding $2.2b back into the International Affairs Account.

This represents a tremendous community effort on the part of faith based and other advocates in networks throughout the United States. Last year a similar effort was launched resulting in the passage of the Santorum-Durbin amendment for $566 million, now vitally supporting important health programs in the developing world. This year’s amendment represents nearly 4 times that amount. These funds are sorely needed for humanitarian relief and development around the globe.

The House and Senate Budget Committees "marked-up" their versions of the 2008 fiscal year Federal Budget, including recommendations for funding levels for the U.S. International Affairs Budget. Unfortunately, both the House and Senate decided to approve less than the $36.2 billion that President Bush requested for the International Affairs Budget. In fact, the Senate committee cut the most from this budget, proposing $2.2 less than the President's request.

The International Affairs Account (known as the 150 account) includes funding for all U.S. humanitarian, global health, human rights, disaster relief, and diplomatic programs. If adopted, the earlier senate version of the budget would have led to devastating cuts in essential programs like those that respond to the needs of people living with AIDS. If these cuts were allowed to prevail, they would be devastating for US health and anti-poverty programs around the globe.

There is still a long way to go before the appropriations process is complete. The full amount requested by the President has to be approved by the full Congress to respond to escalating, unmet needs across the globe including the HIV/AIDS pandemic and other health threats, such as Extensive Drug Resistant TB. Church World Service’s Speak Out alerts will keep you informed of any new actions that must be taken to secure this essential US International funding.

Investments in U.S. foreign assistance programs have helped alleviate extreme poverty and disease. Shortchanging these programs deprives the US government of an important tool for engaging the world.