URGENT ACTION ALERT! Help Save HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria Funding!

[Guest guest]

URGENT ACTION ALERT!!!

Write & Call Congress NOW to Save $1 Billion

in Global AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Funding!!

THE ISSUE:

Congress had been poised to provide higher funding for global AIDS,

tuberculosis and malaria programs in 2007 compared to 2006. HOWEVER, Congress

failed to give final approval to these increases before adjourning for the

year. Instead, it decided to simply keep funding in 2007 at the same level as

in 2006, using continuing resolutions.

That

means that the increases we fought for all year long to save lives around the

globe—and which we thought we had nearly won—are now lost.

This

pulls the rug out from under the Malaria Initiative, which was just launched.

It stalls AIDS treatment and prevention, even as the world is working to

provide universal access by 2010. It undermines the response to Extremely

Drug-resistant Tuberculosis (XDR-TB), which is now spreading globally. It

stalls important programs to help orphaned and vulnerable children.

TAKE ACTION!

If we make enough noise, we CAN reverse this

loss! Congress will revisit the matter in early January and consider

increases for particular programs. We need EVERYONE to contact their members of

Congress to say, " Restore $1 billion in funding for global AIDS, TB and

malaria programs as well as programs for orphaned and vulnerable children!! "

You do

not have to be an expert! Please take these two simple actions today:

Call your members of Congress at 202-224-3121.

Ask to be connected to your Senator or Representative's offices and then

ask to speak with the legislative aide who handles appropriations matters.

Click here for a sample script.

Also send an email or fax a letter (see sample letter, below). You will find email addresses

and fax numbers at www.senate.gov

or www.house.gov.

WE NEED YOU TO ACT TODAY!!

Sen. Durbin (D-IL) and Sen. Brownback (R-KS) have sent a letter to Senate

leaders urging they restore the funding—and with your help we can get

LOTS of Senators to be co-signers! In addition, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-9th CA) has

taken the lead on a similar letter in the House. She's just getting started, so

every phone call you can make will get the House closer to our goal!

WHAT TO SAY:

I am very concerned about the impact of the Continuing Resolution on funding

for global AIDS, TB and Malaria programs, especially the Global Fund. The AIDS

epidemic is spreading, with 4.3 million new infections this past year.

Extremely drug-resistant TB is a real emergency, threatening many countries.

Can I

count on you to prioritize a $1 billion increase for global AIDS, TB and

malaria programs, including $700 million for the Global Fund?

[if calling a Senate office: Will the

Senator be willing to sign onto the Durbin/Brownback letter that urges Senate

leaders to restore the increase for global AIDS programs? This letter has

already been issued.]

[if calling a House office: Will the

Representative be willing to sign onto Representative Lee's letter that urges

House leaders to restore the increase for global AIDS programs? This letter

will be issued very soon.]

SAMPLE LETTER:

Dear

[Member of Congress]:

I am

alarmed at the proposed Continuing Resolution, which will keep funding for

global AIDS and other health programs at 2006 levels. This will mean a massive

loss in momentum in the fight against killer diseases. Keeping funding at 2006

levels means AIDS treatment programs and prevention programs, as well as care

for orphans and vulnerable children, will be stalled. New malaria programs will

be devastated. Programs to fight Extremely Drug-resistant Tuberculosis will

also be stalled, even as this very dangerous infection spreads.

For

instance, in the Senate, the funding for global HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and

malaria programs was set at $4.36 billion for Fiscal Year 2007. But, by simply

continuing the Fiscal Year 2006 funding, Congress will provide only $3.43

billion. That would be a loss of $930 million!

That is

why I urge you to prioritize a $1 billion increase for global AIDS, TB and

malaria programs in the new continuing resolution the Congress will consider.

We especially need to preserve $700 million for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS,

TB and Malaria, because the US

contribution is matched by other donors on a two-to-one basis.

Since

this matter will be negotiated in early January, please contact Congressional

leadership about this as soon as possible.

[For letters to Senators, please add:

Senators Durbin and Brownback have issued a letter to Senate leaders urging

they restore the funding increase for global AIDS programs. I urge you to sign

this letter.]

[For letters to members of the House, please add:

Representative Barbara Lee is sending a letter to House leaders urging they

restore the funding increase for global AIDS programs. I urge you to sign this

letter.]

Please

let me know where you stand on this critical issue.

Sincerely,

YOUR

NAME, ADDRESS & PHONE HERE

THANKS for taking action! OK, now that you have called and

sent your letter, read on for more details (warning: this can get a little

overwhelming, so skip this part if you want!).

MORE BACKGROUND:

The Congress adjourned without approving the spending bills needed to keep the

government going, including US

support for global health programs. Progress in approving spending bills was

especially slow in the Senate, which passed just two of its 12 appropriations

bills.

To keep

the government going, the Congress passed what is known as a continuing

resolution (a " CR " ), which continues 2006 funding levels into the

2007 fiscal year until February. Early next year, they will vote on a longer

" CR " which will extend throughout Fiscal year 2007. Increases that

had been approved for some programs, like Global AIDS, TB and Malaria programs,

are wiped out by the agreement to implement the continuing resolution.

For instance,

the Senate had approved a substantial increase for the Global Fund to Fight

AIDS, TB and Malaria—but that has been wiped out by the Continuing

Resolution. Need more info on how many lives this is going to cost? Click

here for the details.

Overall,

in the Senate, the funding for global HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria

programs was set at $4.36 billion for Fiscal Year 2007. But, by simply

continuing the Fiscal Year 2006 funding, Congress will provide only $3.43

billion. That would be a loss of $930 million!

A

Continuing Resolution is usually a temporary, stop-gap measure. When it resumes

its session in January, Congress could seek to pass the individual spending

bills for fiscal year 2007 and send them to the President.

However,

the incoming leadership has decided not to do this. Instead, they will craft a

new CR, which they are calling a " joint funding resolution, " that

will carry forward the 2006 funding levels into 2007. Some increases will be

allowed, based on an assessment of needs conducted at the departmental and

agency level, but only a small amount is available for these increases.

This

resolution must be formally approved by February 15, but the question of what

increases will actually be allowed will be resolved much earlier, via

high-level negotiations in early January.

We need

significantly higher levels of funding for core health and development programs

that bring more children into school and that give the poor access to basic

health services and clean water and sanitation. The flat-lining of funding

affects many of these important development programs, as well, and we are very

concerned about the impact of a long term continuing resolution on addressing

these basic needs.

Global

AIDS Alliance

www.globalaidsalliance.org