Update: HIV/AIDS funding
July 15, 2009

Summer means appropriations bills moving through Congress; several bills recently have involved funding for HIV/AIDS. On June 24, the Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2009 (HR 2346) passed, providing $100 million for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, which supplies grants to organizations doing community-level projects to address the effects of these three deadly diseases.

A second bill, HR 3081, would make available more money for the Global Fund as well as the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). This bill, which also includes funding for the State Department, USAID, and other international aid programs, would provide $5.75 billion for PEPFAR and $750 million for the Global Fund for fiscal year 2010. The Senate version has slightly less money for HIV/AIDS relief: $5.71 billion for PEPFAR and $700 million for the Global Fund.

The funding for PEPFAR programs is huge – more even than President Obama asked for – but financial support for the Global Fund is sorely lacking. At this time, we are lobbying members of Congress to increase the money for this important account to $2.7 billion for 2010. The current deficit at the Global Fund means that fewer programs can be funded – more money from the U.S. would help to ease this burden.

HR 3081 passed the House on July 9; that same day, a Senate Committee on Appropriations subcommittee met to consider the bill – it will now go the full committee for a vote. In the coming weeks, look for actions that you can take to help ensure that this important, increased funding be made available.