February
27, 2008
Statement
of Acting Chairman Howard L. Berman on the committee markup of the Tom Lantos
and Henry J. Hyde United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS,
Tuberculosis and Malaria Reauthorization Act (H.R. 5501)
Five
years ago, President Bush displayed extraordinary leadership in proposing that
the
This
committee, then under the control of our Republican colleagues, responded to
the President’s call by approving the U.S. Leadership Against
HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act.
This groundbreaking legislation reflected a broad bi-partisan commitment
to respond with compassion to those dying of AIDS, to dramatically boost our
efforts to stop the spread of the HIV virus, and to get lifesaving drugs
immediately to those who could be saved.
The
carefully negotiated, compromise bill – a tribute to the leadership of our late
good friends and former chairmen, Henry Hyde and Tom Lantos – enjoyed
overwhelming bipartisan support in the full House, and was signed into law by
President Bush.
As a
direct result of the committee’s work as well as so many others, our nation has
provided life-saving drugs to nearly one and a half million men, women and
children; supported care for nearly seven million people, including 2.7 million
orphans and vulnerable children; and prevented an estimated 150,000 infant
infections.
Most
importantly, the landmark legislation approved by this committee helped to
ensure that HIV/AIDS is no longer the certain death sentence it was just five
short years ago. Hospital corridors that
were jammed with AIDS patients waiting to die now brim with hope as lifesaving
drugs are dispensed.
The
legislation which originated in this committee has firmly established the
We
are here today to consider legislation to reauthorize this vitally important
statute, and to reaffirm our commitment to the programs and policies
established five years ago. The 2003
legislation worked well, but it now must be modified to reflect the changing
nature of the HIV/AIDS crisis. We also
have five years of experience under our belts; we know what works and what doesn’t.
The
law we passed in 2003 was designed to deal with the emergency phase of
the global HIV/AIDS crisis. The new
legislation now will move our programs toward sustainability. Host governments must have the ability to
plan, direct, and manage the programs already set into place.
The
2003 legislation authorized 15 billion dollars over five years. In response to the desperate need for
lifesaving medicine and new health care workers in nations hit hard by
HIV/AIDS, the bill before us authorizes $50 billion over five years.
The
2003 law relied upon the health care workforce already in place in the
developing world. The new legislation
invests funds in strengthening HIV-related health care delivery systems and
building health workforce capacities.
The
2003 law focused on creating new programs to tackle the HIV/AIDS crisis. The reauthorization bill builds stronger
linkages between the global HIV/AIDS initiative and existing programs designed
to alleviate hunger, improve health care, and bolster schools – an approach
endorsed by the President’s Global AIDS Coordinator in a report issued just a
few short weeks ago.
The
2003 law gave inadequate attention to the needs of women and girls. The new
legislation remedies this situation by strengthening prevention and treatment
programs aimed at this extremely vulnerable population.
Over
the past few weeks, we on the committee have discussed various concerns
regarding the draft we provided last month to our Republican colleagues and the
Administration. In particular, certain
terminology and the requirement that 1/3 of all HIV/AIDS prevention funding be
spent on abstinence and fidelity programs has been a key feature of our debate,
as well as the funding levels and certain limitations in the 2003 act.
I am
happy to report to the committee that late last night, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen and I
reached agreement with the White House on the bill before the committee
today. This bi-partisan agreement will
greatly facilitate congressional consideration of the vitally important
legislation, and I hope and expect that it will be signed into law by President
Bush this session of Congress.
The
compromise before us today authorizes $50 billion for five years for HIV/AIDS,
Tuberculosis and Malaria.
It
ensures that HIV/AIDS programs are linked to and integrated with other relevant
development programs, such as nutrition, and allows HIV/AIDS testing and
counseling to be provided in the
It
eliminates the 1/3 abstinence-only earmark, but requires a balanced approach to
HIV/AIDS sexual transmission prevention programs and a report regarding this
approach in countries where the epidemic has become generalized if we deviate
from that balanced approach.
It
provides for certain benchmarks to improve the transparency and accountability
of the Global Fund, and makes sure that additional emphasis is placed on women
and girls who face the scourge of HIV/AIDS.
This
bill is not perfect, but no compromise ever is.
However, this agreement between Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, the White House and
the committee majority is in the best spirit of the great leaders of this
committee who guided the 2003 act into law, Chairman Lantos and Chairman
Hyde. It’s appropriate and fitting that
this legislation is named for them.
Twenty
million innocent men, women and children, we must remember, have perished from
HIV/AIDS – 20 million. Forty million
around the globe are HIV-positive. Each
and every day, another 6000 people become infected with HIV. We have a moral imperative to act, and act
decisively.
I
urge all my colleagues to join in supporting this important legislation, and I
want to particularly thank some key staff members who played a role in putting
together the language that constitutes the compromise: On the Democratic staff
under the direction of Bob King: Peter Yeo, Doug Campbell, David Abramowitz,
Pearl-Alice Marsh, Kristin Wells and Macani Toungara. On the Republican side: Yleem
Poblete, Mark Gage, Sheri Rickert, and Mary Noonan. And Mark Synnes, with the Legislative
Counsel.