[Press Release] Agreement on U.S. AIDS funding bill is an encouraging step

from World Vision

Congress should keep momentum, vote for passage, aid agency urges

Washington, D.C., U.S. congressional leaders, with the support of the White House, today reached an agreement on the proposed reauthorization of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, leading to the bill’s preliminary approval by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Congress is yet to vote on the bill, known as the U.S. Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Reauthorization Act.

The following is a statement from Craig Jaggers, World Vision’s health policy advisor in the U.S.:

“We commend these lawmakers for coming together on a bi-partisan, comprehensive agreement for reauthorizing PEPFAR that will increase funding and continue to address the needs of millions of orphans and vulnerable children affected by the AIDS crisis. This is an important step forward in passing the global AIDS bill and represents the type of consensus-building approach needed in support of an initiative that has enjoyed broad public support.

“As this bill comes up for a full vote, we urge lawmakers to keep up this momentum and ensure uninterrupted availability of treatment, care and prevention services for affected children, women and men in hard-hit nations. Reauthorizing PEPFAR quickly will maximize its life-saving impact in the global fight against HIV and AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

“This important bill will ensure a needed increase in U.S. assistance, more help for orphans and vulnerable children and continued support for behavior-change programs including the valuable contribution of abstinence and faithfulness promotion.”

More than 15 million children worldwide have lost one or both parents to AIDS and related illnesses, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa.

World Vision, an international Christian humanitarian agency, has been addressing the impact of AIDS for nearly two decades, starting with orphaned children in Rakai, Uganda. Today, the organization is fighting the spread and impact of AIDS in more than 60 nations—including PEPFAR-funded work in 14 countries, in partnership with other groups.