[ The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: 5/2/03 ] House OKs $5 billion to fight AIDS By ANDREW MOLLISON The Atlanta Journal-Constitution WASHINGTON -- The House voted overwhelmingly Thursday for President Bush's plan to triple U.S. support for an international battle against AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis in poor countries. "Given the fact that 14,000 adults and 2,000 children are infected by the HIV virus every day, it was absolutely essential to the response against the growing pandemic that this bill pass," said Kate Carr, president and CEO of the Washington-based Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. The group is among dozens of national and international organizations that welcomed Bush's five-year, $5 billion initiative. Of the 42 million people now infected with the HIV virus or living with full-blown AIDS, 30 million live in Africa and 400,000 in the Caribbean. Most of the care, treatment and prevention efforts would be in those areas, while much of the research would take place in developed nations. The bill passed 375-41. Of Georgia's representatives, only Republicans Charlie Norwood and Nathan Deal opposed it. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) told reporters earlier in the week that the Senate would take up its own version of the bill in seven to 10 days. That would give Congress time to meet Bush's request that it send him a Senate-House compromise before Memorial Day. The president suggested the expanded efforts in his State of the Union address in January. He nailed down House approval early Thursday by releasing his written endorsement of a compromise bill crafted and guided through committee and House action by Reps. Henry Hyde (R-Ill.) and Tom Lantos (D-Calif.). The Hyde-Lantos compromise was designed to honor mainstream American cultural values while allowing for the wide cultural and political variations in countries devastated by AIDS. It is based on a public health model for sexually transmitted disease that is known is "ABC" -- Abstain from sex, Be faithful to one partner, and Condoms. When the ABC model was used in Uganda, a 21 percent AIDS infection rate fell to 5 percent over 10 years. Rep. Dave Weldon (R-Fla.) said he could support it because he believes it emphasizes abstinence as the primary approach to prevention, with monogamy and condoms as fallbacks for those who don't abstain. Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) said she could support the bill because she believes it "isn't prioritizing" any of the three approaches over the others. The House Rules Committee set the stage for victory by ruling out consideration of some amendments that Hyde and Lantos agreed might be so unpalatable to one side or the other that they could strip too much support from the bill. "AIDS is a mortal challenge to our civilization. Let us today be animated by compassion and, yes, vision," Hyde said in Thursday's debate. He urged his conservative allies to support the bill even if they thought it might shortchange faith-based anti-AIDS programs or could be used to encourage promiscuity by distributing condoms. "His leadership has been a true profile in courage," Lantos said of Hyde. He urged his liberal allies to support the bill even if they objected to funding faith-based organizations that oppose condoms on the grounds that contraception controls births or encourages promiscuity.
Yeah, and? Oooooh, you got us. We thought he was gonna let us down again, ooooooh. At least we are applauding the results. Clinton cuts welfare like nobody before him and the only response is. . . well, some people don't seem to believe he did anything, others say it wasn't enough since he didn't end it all together.
This is great news. We need to solve this AIDS puzzle in the next decade, and help Africa get on its feet. If we don't help Africa, then that continent is doomed to suffer under dictators and religious fanatics. I could envision terrorists from Africa lashing out at the United States someday. If we help Africa start to fulfill its enormous potential, we can create trading partners who can properly take advantage of Africa's tremendous resources to the benefit not only the African people, but the world economy. Our tax money spent in Africa could be a great investment with wonderful returns if we move forward in a steady, careful, and determined fashion.
john it's funny how you have such sympathy for Persons With AIDS in foreign countries but you don't seem to give a damn about those who have the disease here in America. What did you say in the Reagan rumor thread? AIDS in the U.S. is 100% preventable? Why is that not the case elsewhere then? Is HIV airborne in South Africa? Is the virus waterborne in Haiti?
"Seem" is the key word in your sentence, and you are 100% wrong. HIV education is complete in this country. 99.9% of our population knows how the HIV virus is spread, so forgive me if I don't think of people who contract the virus through STUPID behavior as victims. Africa, AS YOU KNOW, is full of third world countries that lack the infrastructure to properly educate the masses. I know you see the distinction, so don't try to argue otherwise.
Ooh wow! Maybe we'll forget about how dubya allows Reliant energy to spill 389,000 tons of toxic pollutants into the central texas air from one plant that is only allowed to operate because of bills that Bush signed into law as governor. Here's my rule. Never forgive, never forget. I'm a texan, and our air sucks. You have kids and you support him. Good for you.
John you are living in a fantasy world. Africa has so many problems outside of the AIDS epidemic it isn't even funny. The main problem being that many nations, like say Nigeria which I know the most about, are still basically tribal societies. Meaning there is not a lot of nationalism. I have no clue why everyone always refers to Africa as a whole. Its such a Western thing to do that. There is not a lot of thought outside of the ethnic group one is from, much less as an entire continent. Most, if not all of it, of the pan-African thought came from blacks in America and Europe if I remember correctly. Also, with this lack of nationalism in Africa, sub-Sarahan more specifically, there more than likely won't be many terrorists to come from there to attack America since most everyone is just fighting each other within their nation. There is a ton of terrorism in Nigeria but that is committed against the ethnic groups who live there. Anyhow, back to the topic....I think this is great. Any progress where America is helping to rebuild an AIDS ravaged continent is wonderful. I just hope this shows real results 10 years down the line with significant drops in the numbers of people infected.
99.9% huh? is that one of your self proclaimed "facts"? Education will never be complete so long as young people continue to start having sex. And please don't tell me HIV education in public schools are adequate. I guess you really believe all HIV+ Africans are poor ignorant victims while all HIV+ Americans are simply careless or bug chasers.
Originally posted by Oski2005 Yeah, and? Oooooh, you got us. We thought he was gonna let us down again, ooooooh. At least we are applauding the results. ...w/o credit to the President that produced the results...after labeling the speech a lie? Whoop-di-do. Clinton cuts welfare like nobody before him and the only response is. . . well, some people don't seem to believe he did anything, others say it wasn't enough since he didn't end it all together. I give credit to Clinton for reforming welfare, so what? I never even questioned his committment to the concept.
Or maybe we can help some other people in need, w/o the expectation of a return on our money. What a concept, eh?
please tell me this is just a catchy little phrase for a political thread on the BBS and not the way you really live your life. you're in for a world of heartache, otherwise. I think this is great!! Be cynical all you want...this is a good thing. I believe Africa accounts for 3/4 of all persons with AIDS. As Bono said, I think our generation may end up being judged by how we deal with this problem.
How does this apply to this thread? And remember, the state reps that you voted into office had to put it in front of Bush first so you must be critical of the entire state legislature.
