AIDS Action Wants Plain Talk from Bush Administration on ONAP

Washington, D.C. -- AIDS Action, the national voice on AIDS, called on President Bush to apply the Texas-style plain-speak used so successfully in his campaign, to the important issues of the day -- primarily, to clarify for the American people his commitment to people with HIV and AIDS by confirming or denying the fate of the Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP).

"The future of the Office of National AIDS Policy under the new administration has been a cause for real concern among our members across the country," said Claudia French, Executive Director of AIDS Action. "While we were encouraged by earlier reports that President Bush decided to keep the office, we are now baffled by double-speak from the White House." Late statement by White House spokesman Ari Fleischer were conspicuously void of specific mentions of and plans for ONAP, the President's Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS, and the position of National AIDS Policy Director. "Instead of plain-speak, we've gotten double-speak and triple-speak," said French.

Noticeably absent from any of today's White House statements was a genuine commitment to HIV/AIDS as a priority for the Bush Administration, as well as a promise to appoint a strong, effective leader from the HIV/AIDS community to coordinate a national response to the epidemic. "ONAP has got to be more than a door with a shingle," said French. "Anything less than a total commitment on the part of the Administration is a profound disservice to the millions of people affected by AIDS."

AIDS Action has outlined four criteria that are essential for a strong Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP) that can achieve tangible results:

• The ONAP director and the office's key position's must be filled with recognized leaders, both nationally and internationally, in the fight against the AIDS pandemic.
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• The ONAP director must have access to the President and other key decision makers.

• The ONAP director must not only be a part of discussions about healthcare and prevention, but also in all policy decisions that affect our nation's response to AIDS -- economic disparities in communities of color; national security issues; patent enforcement and other international trade issues; and immigration, among others.

• The ONAP director must have the authority to coordinate a comprehensive response among government agencies and departments.

• The ONAP director must be responsive to people with HIV/AIDS and the organizations who serve them, participating in an ongoing dialogue and a policy of inclusion in decision-making.