U.S. Panel Holds Line on Global AIDS Funding

The House Appropriations Committee decided Wednesday that a global emergency HIV/AIDS measure should be held to $2 billion for fiscal 2004 starting Oct. 1, rejecting by a 33-28 vote an amendment by Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) to add $1 billion to the foreign operations spending bill. Instead, the bill has $1.43 billion to fight AIDS and other infectious diseases. Another House spending bill would add $644 million, bringing the total to just over $2 billion, up about $500 million from this year.

In a speech last week in Botswana, President Bush talked of his proposal to spend $15 billion over five years to help African and Caribbean nations battle AIDS. Democrats say that means Congress should be spending $3 billion a year. "I don't want the rest of the world to think that we say one thing and we do less," said Rep. Carolyn Kilpatrick (D-Mich.).

Rep. Jim Kolbe (R-Ariz.) and other Republicans noted that the AIDS money was considerably increased from this year and that they were confident Congress would live up to its promise to spend $15 billion. Kolbe said it would be a mistake to overspend in the first year when a new global AIDS coordinator just nominated by Bush is not yet in place, and program procedures are still being formulated. "I expect we will do even more next year," Kolbe said.

But some AIDS advocates say Congress should do more now. "Today's failure to provide full funding is a setback, but it will not weaken the resolve of those fighting to ensure we make good on our promises and get about the business of saving lives," said Mark Isaac, vice president of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.

Back to other news for July 17, 2003