Title: ELCA Presiding Bishop Applauds HIV and AIDS Bill Passed by U.S. House ELCA NEWS SERVICE
April 8, 2008
ELCA Presiding Bishop Applauds HIV and AIDS Bill Passed by U.S. House 08-038-JB
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), commended the U.S. House of Representatives for its April 2 adoption of the bipartisan 2008 Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Reauthorization Act.
Voting 308-116 in favor of the bill, with seven not voting, the House reauthorization more than triples the original spending authorization to $50 billion over five years.
"The bill passed by the House establishes the necessary framework to transition current U.S. supported emergency-focused AIDS programming into a sustainable, integrated effort to save lives, restore hope and build true security in many of the poorest countries in the world," Hanson said. "I urge the U.S. Senate to move swiftly in consideration of this reauthorization so that this vital legislation can be signed into law this year."
The original U.S. AIDS bill, known as the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), was adopted in 2003 by the U.S. Congress and signed by President Bush. The legislation made a $15 billion dollar commitment over a five-year period and focused attention on 15 countries hardest hit by the pandemic.
During the past five years PEPFAR is credited with saving more than 1.4 million lives and providing care for more than 6.6 million people infected or affected by HIV/AIDS, including some 2.7 million orphans and children. The legislation provided funds for counseling and testing for more than 33 million people, including 10 million pregnant women, according to the Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator.
"We know that PEPFAR is working," Hanson said. "The lives of our partners in other countries prove it."
The Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UN AIDS) reports that the needs continue. More than 6,000 people are infected with HIV every day, and an estimated 16 million more people will need treatment by 2013, UN AIDS reports.
The House reauthorization adds to the original legislation targets for prevention, treatment and care that help fulfill the U.S. commitment to achieve universal access to prevention, treatment and care by 2010; expands commitments to reduce tuberculosis and malaria; increases focus on strengthening health systems and training of health care professionals; provides more funding for programs focused on women and girls; provides a more flexible prevention policy that will allow countries to respond to specific needs of local communities; provides linkages between HIV/AIDS programs with nutrition components and other U.S. poverty-focused development efforts; and increases U.S. contributions to the Global Fund for HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
The day before the House action five ELCA synod bishops, members of the ELCA Conference of Bishops' International Policy Committee, wrote to members of the U.S. Congress urging adoption of the bill.
Several units of the ELCA churchwide organization are coordinating ministries aimed at reducing HIV/AIDS globally. An HIV and AIDS strategy, requested by the 2007 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, is expected to be presented for consideration later this year to the ELCA Church Council.
Lutheran World Relief, Baltimore, is developing a "Lutheran Malaria Initiative (LMI)," in partnership with the ELCA and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. With initial funding from the United Nations Foundation, the initiative is intended to comprehensively address and contain malaria. Lutherans hope to raise $75 million over a five-year period to fund LMI ministries.
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The letter to Congress from the ELCA Conference of Bishops' International Policy Committee is at http://tinyurl.com/6oz3jq on the ELCA Web site.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog