PI Action alerts & updates ... 2001

President Bush’s Proposed HIV/AIDS Budget Very Inadequate
Participate in AIDSWATCH

Urge Your Elected Officials to Support Increased Funding

On April 9, 2001, the Bush Administration released its proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2002 (October 1, 2001–September 30, 2002). Included in this budget are President Bush’s suggestions for how much the federal government should spend on HIV/AIDS programs.

Overall, the proposed budget is extremely troubling. In particular, the budget calls for no increase in funding for the Ryan White CARE Act, which funds health care and treatment services, including the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP). This marks the first time since the CARE Act was first put into law that a President hasn’t proposed an increase. With the growing number of people needing services and the rising cost of health care and treatments, a flat-funding request actually translates into a cut in CARE funding. ADAPs are already having difficulties providing adequate services in many states. With no increase in funding, there will be severe limitations in treatment access across the country. The President is also asking for no increase to the Congressional Black Caucus Minority HIV/AIDS Initiative, which funds care and prevention services targeting communities of color most impacted by the epidemic.

The President’s budget does include increases for some programs. The best news is that he is asking for an 11.5% increase for HIV/AIDS research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). However, that figure doesn’t match the overall 13.5% increase that the NIH is proposed to receive. We must work to protect the increase in research funding.

The proposed budget also provides modest (but not sufficient) increases for the Housing Opportunities for People With AIDS (HOPWA) program and HIV prevention programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It also calls for a $26 million increase in global AIDS programs at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the CDC. An increase in U.S. funding of international programs is a welcome sign, however it is far short of need. The U.S. Senate recently approved a budget resolution (a nonbonding recommendation) to increase global HIV/AIDS funding by $200 million in the FY 2002 budget.

Fortunately, President Bush’s proposed budget is just that—a proposal. Focus now shifts to Congress, which will determine its own spending levels for these programs (see “appropriations process” below).

Now is the time to educate Congress that President Bush’s budget for HIV/AIDS programs is unacceptable. We must keep and improve the increases that he has asked for and insist on adequate funding for all programs and services.

On May 7 and 8, hundreds of people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS will meet directly with their federal elected officials as part of AIDS-WATCH 2001. During those legislative visits, they will talk about the need for increased funding for HIV/AIDS research, care/treatment, prevention, housing, and international programs. You can be a part of this event by writing and calling your U.S. Representative and Senators and letting them know how important adequate HIV/AIDS funding is to you and those you care about!

Background Info: The Appropriations Process:
The appropriations (spending) process began earlier this month when President Bush released his proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2002 budget. FY 2002 runs from October 1, 2001–September 30, 2002. Over the next couple of month, Congress will hold hearings on various programs that are funded by the federal government (like HIV/AIDS programs), where they will hear public testimony about the importance of these programs.

After hearings are held, various House appropriations subcommittees will meet to discuss and vote on spending levels for specific programs under their jurisdiction. The subcommittees of most interest to HIV/AIDS advocates are the Labor/Health and Human Services (Labor/HHS) Appropriations subcommittee, which funds HIV/AIDS research, care/treatment, and prevention programs; the Veterans Affairs/Housing and Urban Development (VA/HUD) Appropriations subcommittee, which funds AIDS housing programs; and the Foreign Operations Appropriations subcommittee, which funds international programs.

After subcommittee members negotiate funding levels for these programs (known as “marking up” the appropriations bill), they are then considered by the full House Appropriations committee. The bill must then be approved by the entire House of Representatives. At each step in the process, funding levels can be increased or decreased. However, typically the levels set by the original subcommittee become the final figures approved by the full House. If your Representative or Senator is on one of these subcommittees, it is even more important to communicate with him/her about the need for adequate funding.

The Senate follows the same process as the House of Representatives and crafts its own version of the appropriations bill. The Senate usually starts its process after the House of Representatives finishes work on its bill, although sometimes they work concurrently.

After the House and the Senate approve their own appropriations bills, a joint House/Senate conference committee is put together to work out differences. Sometimes significant increases over the levels passed by the House and Senate can be considered and approved at this step in the process. The full House and Senate must then approve the final appropriations bill crafted by the conference committee. The bill then goes to the President for his signature or veto.

You can make a difference during this process by telling your elected officials that you expect them to support adequate funding for all HIV/AIDS programs. If you need any help with your advocacy efforts, contact Project Inform’s public policy department at 415-558-8669 x224 or TAN@projectinform.org.

Action Needed for This T.A.N. Alert
Write your U.S. Representative and two U.S. Senators, preferably by May 7. Personal letters—handwritten or typed—are powerful ways to express your concerns to elected officials. In this letter, ask for the highest possible increases for all HIV/AIDS programs. Be personal—if you or someone you care about depends on federally-funded services, let them know. Use the sample sample letter below to help craft your message.
Follow up your letter with a phone call to your elected officials’ Washington or district office on May 7 or 8. Tell whoever answers the phone that you urge your Representative/Senator to support the highest possible increases for all HIV/AIDS programs in the Fiscal Year 2002 Appropriations Bill. You can reach your Representative and Senators through the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121. You can find local phone numbers in the “U.S. Government” section of your phone book.

If you aren’t able to write a letter or make a phone call by May 7/8, it won’t be too late. While the goal is to have a national, unified message on these dates, calls and letters are needed all summer to help ensure adequate funding. Please also encourage your family, friends, colleagues, etc. to act on this Alert!

Sample letter for the Issues Included in this T.A.N. Alert:

The Honorable ______________
U.S. House of Representatives/U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20515 (for House ) / 20510 (for Senate)

Dear Representative / Senator ________________:

I am writing to urge you to support the highest possible increases for all HIV/AIDS research, care/treatment, prevention, housing, and global programs in the Fiscal Year 2002 appropriations bill. While President Bush’s budget does call for some increases in HIV/AIDS spending, overall it is very inadequate.

Insert personal statement here. If you or someone you care about depends on federally-funded HIV/AIDS programs, talk about that here.

Now is not the time to decrease the federal government’s response to the epidemic. Please do everything in your power to ensure adequate funding for all HIV/AIDS programs.

Sincerely,
Your Name