USCCB - (SDWP) - Urgent Action Needed Now!

Urgent Action Needed Now!

September 27, 2002

ALERT: In July, the Senate passed H.R. 2069, a bill to combat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria which contains important debt relief provisions. The House-passed version of the bill does not contain debt relief. Also, the House bill authorizes much less funding than the Senate bill for combating communicable diseases.

The Senate and House are in the process of trying to resolve differences between the two versions of the bill before Congress adjourns its current session. Final decisions may be made as early as the first few days of October. We need you to contact members of Congress as soon as possible to express strong support for including debt relief and substantial funding for combating HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases in the final global health bill.

THE TWO BILLS:
The Senate bill, "United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act of 2002" (H.R. 2069), co-sponsored by Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) and Sen. Bill Frist (R-TN), authorizes:

A total of $3.3 billion over two years in new US funding to combat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria;
Deeper debt reduction, so that HIPC countries would pay no more than 10 percent of government revenues toward debt servicing, or in the case of countries suffering a public health crisis, no more than 5 percent of government revenues.

The House of Representatives' bill "Global Access to HIV/AIDS Prevention, Awareness, Education, and Treatment Act of 2002," co-sponsored by Reps. Hyde (R-IL) and Lantos (D-CA):

Authorizes $1.3 billion in 2003 of new U.S. funding for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria programs;
Contains no provisions for debt relief.

(For further information, see Action Alert: "Congress to Finalize Legislation on HIV/AIDS and Debt Relief," July 19, 2002)

ACTION: Contact the Members of the Senate and House leadership, Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House International Relations Committee and urge them to adopt a final global health bill that:

includes the debt relief provided by the Senate bill;
includes the Senate provisions to increase funding for combating HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria to at least $3.3 billion over two years; and
combats HIV/AIDS in a manner that will support and promote behavioral change and responsible and respectful relationships;

TARGETS: Members of the Senate and House leadership, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and House International Relations Committee, particularly the following:
Senators: Joseph Biden (D-DE), Rick Santorum (R-PA)*, Don Nickles (R-OK)*, Bill Frist (R-TN), Lincoln Chafee (R-RI), Paul Sarbanes (D-MD), John Kerry (D-MA), Jesse Helms (R-NC), Richard Lugar (R-IN), Chuck Hagel (R-NE), Gordon Smith (R-OR), Christopher Dodd (D-CT), Tom Daschle (D-SD)*, Sam Brownback (R-KS).
Representatives: Dennis Hastert (R-IL)**, Richard Armey (R-TX)**, Henry Hyde (R-IL), Benjamin Gilman (R-NY) Chistopher Smith (R-NJ) James Leach (R-IA) Doug Bereuter (R-NE) Edward Royce (R-CA),Tom Lantos (D-CA), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Peter King (R-NY), Donald Payne (D-NJ); Michael Oxley (R-OH)***
*Member of Senate leadership
**Member of House leadership
***Chairman, House Financial Services Committee

Contact: Gerry Flood, USCCB, (202) 541-3153, www.USCCB.org/sdwp/international/; or Kathy Selvaggio, Catholic Relief Services, (410) 625-2220, www.catholicrelief.org/get_involved/adovcacy/.