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PENCE STATEMENT ON HIV/AIDS RELIEF FOR AFRICA

Congressman Mike Pence, speaking at a press conference regarding HIV/AIDS relief funding.

Washington, Feb 11, 2008 - U.S. Congressman Mike Pence delivered the following statement at a press conference regarding the President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) on February 7, 2008.

“Thank you for joining us here today, and special thanks to my colleagues Joe Pitts and Chris Smith for their leadership on this issue. I also would like to thank the religious leaders present here and those who have joined us from the front lines of the AIDS battle in Africa.

“They know best what Africa is facing. The HIV/AIDS pandemic has infected more than 60 million people worldwide and killed more than 25 million people. In its wake, HIV/AIDS has orphaned 14 million children. Today, nearly 70 percent of people in the world who are afflicted with HIV/AIDS reside in Africa. Within that continent there are whole countries where more than one-third of the adult population is infected.

“In 2003 President Bush called on Congress to act by creating a program to address the world-wide HIV/AIDS crisis. Congress responded with a bipartisan achievement: the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR. PEPFAR put the world on notice that America will not ignore despair and desperation. It has shown the world that America is committed to bettering the lives of people around the globe, especially in Africa, who suffer from HIV/AIDS.

“Sadly, the Democrats in Congress have put forth a draft PEPFAR reauthorization bill that hijacks PEPFAR and puts at risk America’s commitment. In the draft bill, Democrats propose to take a successful, bipartisan achievement and do away with funding requirements for abstinence and be faithful programming. They propose to mandate the integration of reproductive health services into PEPFAR, which would transform the program into a mega-funding pool for organizations with an abortion promotion agenda that does not fall under the Mexico City Policy restrictions.

“We must take these proposals as a call to action. PEPFAR must not be hijacked. It is a successful program and too much is at stake in the world for Congress not to reauthorize it. But, it needs to keep its original mission and remain solely devoted to prevention of HIV infection and relief for the millions around the world suffering from HIV/AIDS. We must ensure that America’s commitment to fighting the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa and around the globe will continue, and continue in a manner that best reflects the nature of America’s compassion and its devotion to saving lives, and we intend to fight the objectionable proposals in the Democrat reauthorization bill so that a clean reauthorization bill can be passed by Congress and sent to the President.”