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.