PI Action alerts & updates ... 2000
Congress ready to make final decisions on HIV/AIDS funding AIDS
Drug Assistance Program and other key programs severely underfunded;
Your help is needed immediately!!
Congress is in the final stage of negotiating final funding levels
for HIV/AIDS care/treatment, prevention, research, and housing programs
for the next Fiscal Year (October 1, 2000–September 30, 2001).
It is expected that Congress will pass a “continuing resolution”
until October 6. This will allow programs to be funded after October
1st until a final agreement is reached.
While the proposals being discussed by Congress provide increases
for HIV/AIDS programs, they fall well short of the amounts needed
to provide adequate services to people living with and at risk for
HIV/AIDS.
Advocates for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) are particularly
concerned about the inadequate funding levels currently being discussed
by Congress. ADAP provides HIV/AIDS treatments to under- or uninsured
low-income individuals who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford
them. Experts have indicated that a $130 million increase over last
year’s funding is needed to maintain the current level of
service. However, the current proposal in Congress offers only a
$26 million increase for this program.
According to a recent report on state ADAPs by the National Alliance
of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD), an insufficient
increase in funding for ADAP will likely result in severe restrictions
on access to HIV treatments. Nine states (Alabama, Florida, Idaho,
Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Texas)
reported that they would likely be forced to stop enrolling new
clients in their ADAPs. Eight states (Alabama, Colorado, Florida,
Idaho, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, and Washington) indicated that
they would have to stop expanding their list of available drugs
to cover newly approved treatments. In addition, eight states (Alabama,
Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Washington)
reported that they would have to shift funds from other critical
HIV care programs to into their ADAPs.
Since 1996, Treatment Action Network members have played a major
role in helping to secure adequate funding for the AIDS Drug Assistance
Program. Your help is needed again to ensure that those in need
get access to promising treatments! In addition, you can help get
badly needed increases for all important care, prevention, research,
and housing programs!
Action needed:
Call or email your U.S. Representative and two U.S. Senators immediately.
Because of the timeliness of this issue, phone calls to their DC
office are most effective. Many legislators’ staff do not
check email on a regular basis. If you call your representative’s
district office, ask for your message to be conveyed to the DC office
immediately.
Message:
“I urge Representative/Senator ______________
to support a $130 million increase for the AIDS Drug Assistance
Program for Fiscal Year 2001. I also strongly support the highest
possible increases for all HIV/AIDS care, prevention, research,
and housing programs.”
Be personal in your message! If you or someone you care about depends
on the AIDS Drug Assistance Program, or other federally-funded HIV/AIDS
program, let them know.
You can reach your Senators and Representative through the Capitol
switchboard at 202- 224-3121. Another good website with contact
information is www.capweb.net
Please forward this Alert to your friends, family, co-workers,
etc.!
