House Rejects $15 Million Increase for HOPWA

VA/HUD Appropriations

Today the House, as part of its consideration of the FY 97 VA-HUD Appropriations bill, rejected by a vote of 177 - 236, an amendment that would have increased HOPWA by $15 million. The amendment was a true bi-partisan effort. Reps. Christopher Shays (R-CT) and Nita Lowey (D-NY) were joined by Rick Lazio (R-NY), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Steve Gunderson (R-WI), Barbara Kenelly (D-CT), Steve Horn (R-CA), Gerry Studds (D-MA), Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Sherwood Boehlert (D-NY), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and Michael Flannagan (R-IL) in sponsoring the amendment. (Attached is a list of all those members voting "yes" on the amendment.)

These additional funds would have ensured access to housing assistance for at least 4,035 additional individuals living with HIV/AIDS and their families. It also would have brought the program back to its FY 1995 pre-rescission funding level of $186 million. This small $15 million increase would have been taken out of a $2 billion NASA account for which congress proposed a $60 million funding increase in FY 97.

While we are disappointed in the outcome of the vote, there was a great deal of bi-partisan support for the increase. This is an important factor as attention now turns to the Senate. After the July 4th recess, the Senate will begin to "mark-up" its FY 97 VA-HUD Appropriations bill. It is critical that the Senate provide adequate funding for HOPWA. We will be working with members of the Senate VA/HUD subcommittee to ensure that this happens.

Labor/HHS Full Committee Mark-up

The House full Appropriations Committee completed work on the FY 1997 Labor/HHS Appropriations bill on June 25th and made no changes to the funding level for AIDS programs.

However, the issue of minor's access to contraceptive and sexuality health services through Title X Family Planning Clinics was a topic of heated discussion during the committee's consideration of the bill. Rep. Ernest Istook (R-OK) is expected to offer an amendment that would prohibit minors from receiving services, including testing and treatment for HIV and other STDs without parental permission, when the bill comes to the House floor, the week of July 8th. This amendment would serve no purpose but to discourage adolescents from seeking services and treatment. We do not know if any other negative amendments that would negatively affect AIDS programs or their funding will be offered. However, we will keep you updated.

The Senate will turn to the Labor/HHS Appropriations bill some time in mid to late July.

AIDS Action:

VA/HUD Appropriations

Use the attached voting record which lists all those Representatives who voted "yes" on the HOPWA amendment, when contacting your Representatives.

House

__ Thank your Representatives if they voted in support of the amendment

__ Express your outrage if your Representatives voted in opposition of the amendment. Express your disappointment that they chose to increase NASA funding in this difficult budget climate and turned their backs on 4,035 individuals and families with HIV/AIDS in desperate need of housing.

All members of the House can be reached through the Capitol Switchboard at 202-225-3121. E-mail addresses for your Representatives can be found posted in HandsNet at Resources/Congressional Contacts.

Senate

__ Contact your Senators and urge them to fund HOPWA at $250 million for FY 97. Let them know that repeated flat funding for HOPWA only means cuts to states and cities struggling to provide housing for people living with HIV/AIDS and that without increased funding, people with HIV/AIDS will be livng and dying in the street.

All Senators can be reached at 202-224-3121. E-mail addresses for your Senators can be found posted in HandsNet at Resources/Congressional.

Labor-HHS Appropriations:

House

__ Contact your Representatives and urge them to oppose attempts to impose parental consent requirements that would effectively deny critical services to adolescents.

__ Urge your Representatives (especially if they are Republican) to contact the House leadership and insist that the House pass a "clean" -- free of negative amendments -- appropriations bill.

All members of the House can be reached through the Capitol Switchboard at 202-225-3121. E-mail addresses for your Representatives can be found posted in HandsNet at Resources/Congressional Contacts.

Senate

__ Contact your Senators and urge them to support increases in HIV prevention, care, training and research.

All Senators can be reached at 202-224-3121. E-mail addresses for your Senators can be found posted in HandsNet at Resources/Congressional.

* Please refer to our June 24th mailing for further Senate strategy during the July 4th Recess.

Paid for with contributions from AIDS Action Network Members

Representatives Who Voted Yes on Shays-Lowey Amendment

ABERCROMBIE (D-HI) FAZIO (D-CA)
ACKERMAN (D-NY) FIELDS (D-LA)
ANDREWS (D-NJ) FILNER (D-CA)
BALDACCI (D-ME) FLAKE (D-NY)
BARCIA (D-MI) FLANAGAN (R-IL)
BARRETT (D-WI) FOGLIETTA (D-PA)
BEILENSON (D-CA) FOX (R-PA)
BERMAN (D-CA) FRANK (D-MA)
BILBRAY (R-CA) FRANKS (R-CT)
BLUMENAUER (D-OR) FRANKS (R-NJ)
BLUTE (R-MA) FRELINGHUYSEN(R-NJ)
BOEHLERT (R-NY) FURSE (D-OR)
BONIOR (D-MI) GANsKE (R-IA)
BORSKI (D-PA) GEJDENSON (D-CT)
BOUCHER (D-VA) GEPHARDT (D-MO)
BROWN (D-CA) GEREN (D-TX)
BROWN (D-OH) GILCHREST (R-MD)
BURR (R-NC) GILMAN (R-NY)
CAMP (R-MI) GONZALEZ (D-TX)
CAMPBELL (R-CA) GREENWOOD (R-PA)
CASTLE (R-DE) GUNDERSON (R-WI)
CHRYSLER (R-MI) GUTIERREZ (D-IL)
CLAY (D-MO) HAMILTON (D-IN)
CLAYTON (D-NC) HARMAN (D-CA)
COLLINS (D-IL) HEINEMAN (R-NC)
COLLINS (D-MI) HILLIARD (D-AL)
CONYERS (D-MI) HORN (R-CA)
COSTELLO (D-IL) HOYER (D-MD)
COYNE (D-PA) JACKSON (D-IL)
CUMMINGS (D-MD) JACKSON-LEE (D-TX)
DANNER (D-MO) JACOBS (D-IN)
DAVIS (R-VA) JOHNSON (R-CT)
DeFAZIO (D-OR) JOHNSON (D-SD)
DeLAURO (D-CT) JOHNSON (D-TX)
DELLUMS (D-CA) KAPTUR (D-OH)
DEUTSCH (D-FL) KASICH (R-OH)
DICKS (D-WA) KELLY (R-NY)
DINGELL (D-MI) KENNEDY (D-MA)
DOGGETT (D-TX) KENNEDY (D-RI)
DURBIN (D-IL) KENNELLY (D-CT)
ENGEL (D-NY) KILDEE (D-MI)
ENGLISH (R-PA) KLECZKA (D-WI)
ENSIGN (R-NV) KLINK (D-PA)
ESHOO (D-CA) LaFALCE (D-NY)
EVANS (D-IL) LaHOOD (R-IL)
FARR (D-CA) LANTOS (D-CA)
LAZIO (R-NY) RAMSTAD (R-MN)
LEACH (R-IA) RANGEL (D-NY)
LEVIN (D-MI) REED (D-RI)
LEWIS (D-GA) RIGGS (R-CA)
LoBIONDO (R-NJ) RIVERS (D-MI)
LONGLEY (R-ME) ROEMER (D-IN)
LOWEY (D-NY) ROS-LEHTINEN (R-FL)
LUTHER (D-MN) ROUKEMA (R-NJ)
MALONEY (D-NY) RUSH (D-IL)
MANTON (D-NY) SABO (D-MN)
MARKEY (D-MA) SANDERS (I-VT)
MARTINI (R-NJ) SAWYER (D-OH)
McCARTHY (D-MO) SAXTON (R-NJ)
McCRERY (R-LA) SCHIFF (R-NM)
McDERMOTT (D-WA) SCHROEDER (D-CO)
McHALE (D-PA) SCHUMER (D-NY)
McHUGH (R-NY) SCOTT (D-VA)
McKINNEY (D-GA) SERRANO (D-NY)
McNULTY (D-NY) SHAYS (R-CT)
MEEHAN (D-MA) SKAGGS (D-CO)
MEEK (D-FL) STARK (D-CA)
MENENDEZ (D-NJ) STOKES (D-OH)
MILLENDER-McDONALD(D-CA) STUDDS (D-MA)
MILLER (D-CA) STUPAK (D-MI)
MINGE (D-MN) TORKILDSEN (R-MA)
MINK (D-HI) TOWNS (D-NY)
MOAKLEY (D-MA) UPTON (R-MI)
MOLINARI (R-NY) VELASQUEZ (D-NY)
MORAN (D-VA) VENTO (D-MN)
MORELLA (R-MD) VISCLOSKY (D-IN)
MYRICK (R-NC) WARD (D-KY)
NADLER (D-NY) WATERS (D-CA)
NEAL (D-MA) WATT (D-NC)
OBERSTAR (D-MN) WAXMAN (D-CA)
OBEY (D-WI) WELLER (R-IL)
OLVER (D-MA) WILLIAMS (D-MT)
OWENS (D-NY) WOOLSEY (D-CA)
PALLONE (D-NJ) YATES (D-IL)
PASTOR (D-AZ) ZIMMER (R-NJ)
PAYNE (D-NJ)
PAYNE (D-VA)
PELOSI (D-CA)
POMEROY (D-ND)
PORTER (R-IL)
PRYCE (R-OH)
RAHALL (D-WV)

For more information, contact:
AIDS Action Council
1875 Connecticut Avenue NW #700
Washington DC 20009
202-986-1300
202-986-1345 (fax)
202-332-9614 (tty)
E-Mail: aidsaction@aidsaction.org