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Lifting Ban on HIV Organ Donating
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I hate to rain on Justin's parade, but there are some steps in the legislative process that have to happen before the HOPE Act is law.
Justin is right about the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee passing its version of S. 330, the HIV Organ Policy Equity (HOPE) Act on Wednesday, March 20. However, this is just the first step in what could be a long, uphill battle. The companion bill in the House, H.R. 698, has been assigned to both the House Energy and Commerce Committee's sub-committee on health and the Judiciary Committee, one that is particularly hard to get past. In order for the HOPE Act to become law, it would have to be passed by both the Senate and the House, something that at present is given a 2% chance of happening in the House.
This is yet another one of those instances where the need for grassroots advocacy is great, especially if you have Republican legislators. With the current anti-funding atmosphere, the research into HIV-positive transplants that would be codified in the law would likely not happen due to funding cuts. SO not only do we need to advocate for the idea of allowing transplants between positive people, but we also need to demand funding for the research that would make it safe.
If you're interested in keeping track of HIV-related legislation that's moving through Congress, you can find out the latest developments in the "Legislation Watch" section of every weekly Positively Aware E-News update. There are currently 16 bills in the House and six in the Senate that are relevant to the HIV and/or LGBT communities. I hope to continue to report on the HOPE Act's progress and thanks Justin for bringing it to the community's attention!
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Justin's HIV Journal
Justin B. Terry-Smith
Justin B. Terry-Smith may be one of the most public African Americans living with HIV: He has his own blog and Web site, and he's even on YouTube. And who can blame him? Only 30, he already has an incredible story to tell. Justin admits he used to live "a very dangerous life," but since his diagnosis three years ago, the former heavy drinker and drug user has turned his life around.
Photo credit: Don Harris
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Recent Posts:
March 22, 2013 - 28% of South African School Girls Are HIV-Positive: A Blog Entry by Justin B. Terry-Smith
March 21, 2013 - Lifting Ban on HIV Organ Donating -- A Blog Entry by Justin B. Terry-Smith
March 3, 2013 - Just*In Time: Deny, Deny, Deny -- A Blog Entry by Justin B. Terry-Smith
February 21, 2013 - Justin Goes Back to Basic Training: A Video Blog Entry by Justin B. Terry-Smith
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