June 23, 2006

The Honorable Mitch McConnell
Chairman, State,
Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
142 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Patrick J. Leahy
Ranking Member, State,
Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
123 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Chairman McConnell and Ranking Member Leahy:

As you consider the FY 2007 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs appropriations bill, we are writing to urge you to support $4.2 billion for global HIV/AIDS programs, including $2.79 billion for the fifteen focus countries and $766 million for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Combined with an additional $600 million in the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill, this would total $4.8 billion for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief in FY 2007.

With the creation of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief in 2003, the United States made an historic commitment to battle HIV/AIDS. Centered on the rapid scale-up of prevention, care and treatment programs in 15 countries hardest hit by HIV/AIDS, these programs have played a key role in our response to the global pandemic. As of March 31, 2006, the Emergency Plan has supported antiretroviral treatment for 561,000 people in the focus countries, with sixty-one percent of those supported being female. In addition, the Emergency Plan has provided HIV testing and counseling to 13.6 million people; prevention of mother-to-child HIV treatment for 4 million women; and, care to 3 million orphans and people living with HIV and AIDS. We urge you to support fully funding the President’s request of $2.79 billion for the focus countries, which will allow the U.S. to expand these important programs.

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is also a critical component to our response to these deadly diseases. Created in 2002, the Global Fund has played a leading role in fighting AIDS, TB and malaria around the world. In just a few short years, it has grown into an organization with more than $5 billion committed to nearly 400 grants in 131 countries, and now provides 20 percent of the world’s AIDS financing, and two-thirds of all donor-funding for TB and malaria each. Since its inception, the Global Fund has achieved the following results:

• 544,000 people have been provided with HIV/AIDS treatment
• 5.7 million people have been tested for HIV
• 1.4 million people have been cured of TB with drug treatment
• 11.3 million bed nets have been distributed to prevent malaria
• 7.3 million people have received malaria treatments
• 559,000 orphans have been provided with basic care and support

Earlier this year, the Senate Budget Resolution included an amendment sponsored by Senators Santorum and Durbin to increase the Global Fund by $566 million, for a total of $766 million in the Foreign Operations bill. In addition to at least $100 million contained in the Labor-HHS bill, we urge you to support $766 million for the Global Fund, for a total of $866 million in FY 2007. This amount would be enough to finance one-third of the resources needed to renew existing grants and fund the recently launched Round 6 of new proposals. Every $1 committed by the U.S. has leveraged contributions from other donors on a two-to-one basis. Strong U.S. support is a critical component of the Global Fund’s success and its ability to attract contributions from other countries.

Finally, we urge you to support $650 million to maintain other bilateral HIV/AIDS programs worldwide, including “second wave countries” such as India, Russia and China; and for bilateral HIV/AIDS-related TB and malaria programs, including the new President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI). Like the Emergency Plan, the PMI is a five year, $1.2 billion program to fight the disease in 15 focus countries. Together, these resources are critical to our response to these three diseases.

Thank you for your longstanding commitment in the battle against HIV/AIDS. We appreciate your support.

Sincerely,

Advocates for Youth
Africa Action
Africa Faith and Justice Network
The Africa Institute of the American Jewish Committee
AIDS Alliance for Children, Youth & Families
AIDSETI - AIDS Empowerment & Treatment International
The AIDS Institute
AIDS Project Los Angeles
AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition (AVAC)
American Academy of HIV Medicine (AAHIVM)
amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research
American Jewish World Service
Community HIV/AIDS Mobilization Project (CHAMP)
DATA – Debt AIDS Trade Africa
Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis & Malaria
Global AIDS Alliance
Global Health Council
HIV Medicine Association
Housing Works
The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative
The International Community of Women Living with HIV and AIDS (ICW)
The International Community of Women Living with HIV and AIDS (ICW) – Namibia
International Women's Health Coalition
Jewish Council For Public Affairs (JCPA)
Mennonite Central Committee, Washington Office
National Alliance of State & Territorial AIDS Directors
National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA-US)
New Mexico POZ Coalition
Physicians for Human Rights
Planet Poz, New Mexico
Results
Student Global AIDS Campaign
TII CANN - Title II Community AIDS National Network
Union for Reform Judaism
Women of Reform Judaism