PI Action alerts & updates ... 2003

House Subcommittee Approves
Highly Inadequate Increase for ADAP

Senate to start process on Wednesday
Your help is needed to SAVE ADAP!!

On Thursday of last week, the House Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee voted on Fiscal Year 2004 funding levels for HIV/AIDS care and treatment programs, including the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP). The results are extremely disappointing and demonstrate a clear lack of commitment to mounting a real fight against the epidemic.

The Subcommittee approved a $39 million increase for ADAP. This amount falls severely short of the $283 million identified as needed to alleviate the current ADAP crisis. It is less than half of the $100 million increase for ADAP requested by President Bush. In addition, the Subcommittee approved only flat funding for Title I of the Ryan White CARE Act and cuts in other Titles. This lack of leadership will result in greatly reduced access to treatment and care for people living with HIV/AIDS across the country.

Congress must hear from constituents that these funding levels are highly inadequate and must be improved during the remainder of the appropriations process. The full House Appropriations Committee is expected to review the funding bill on Wednesday of this week. The same day, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education will begin its own process.

Both the House and the Senate are moving much quicker than expected but there is time to make your voice heard if you call your elected officials immediately. Please take a few minutes to call your House Representative and two U.S. Senators and urge them to support adequate funding for ADAP and other critical HIV/AIDS programs. Lives depend on it.

Action needed:
Call your U.S. Representative and two U.S. Senators immediately and no later than 5pm EST Tuesday, June 24. Ask to speak to their legislative aide who handles HIV/health care issues. Use the following phone scripts to help craft your message.

For Representatives:
“I am a constituent of Representative __________. I am urging the Congressman/woman to do everything in his/her power to secure a $283 million increase for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP). ADAP received a very inadequate increase from the House Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee and must be improved. I encourage Representative __________ to convey his/her support for a $283 million increase for ADAP and the highest possible increases for all HIV/AIDS programs to members of the full House Appropriations Committee.”

For Senators:
“I am a constituent of Senator __________. I am urging the Senator to do everything in his/her power to secure a $283 million increase for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP). ADAP provides access to treatment to people with HIV who otherwise couldn’t afford it. The program is in a fiscal crisis and this amount is needed to make sure that people can benefit from lifesaving medications. I encourage Senator __________ to convey his/her support for this increase and the highest possible increases for all HIV/AIDS programs to members of the Senate Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee.”

Contact information:
You can call the Capitol Switchboard toll-free at 1-800-839-5276. Ask to be connected to your Representative/Senator.

Don’t know who your representatives are? Call 1-888-VOTE-SMART or visit www.vote-smart.org.

Please forward this Alert widely! For more information, please contact one of the following SAVE ADAP members:

Bill Arnold (DC)
Title II Community AIDS National Network
202-588-1775
weaids@tiicann.org

Mark Baker (Massachusetts)
AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod
508-487-9445 x47 or pasg@capecod.net

James Carr (Indiana)
jamesmcarr@hotmail.com

Lei Chou (New York)
AIDS Treatment Data Network
TheAccessProject@aol.com

Ryan Clary (California)
Project Inform
415-558-8669 x224
rclary@projectinform.org

Linda Dee (Maryland)
AIDS Action Baltimore
410-837-2437
lyndamdee@aol.com

Amanda Diers (Florida)
Florida AIDS Action
813-974-2838
amandaflaac@aol.com

Pat Donahue (Rhode Island)
tapd33@hotmail.com

Mark Garrett (Washington)
Spokane AIDS Network
509-455-8993 x221
speakinup@msn.com

Sue Gibson (Texas):
suegibson@nova1.net

Kathie Hiers (Alabama)
AIDS Alabama
205-324-9822 ext. 331
Kathie@aidsalabama.org

Patrick Lee (North Carolina)
North Carolina Council for Positive Living
336-586-0062
ncaan@ncpositiveliving.org

David Munar (Illinois)
AIDS Foundation of Chicago
312-922-2322
dmunar@aidschicago.org

Jim Musselwhite (Washington)
360-570-8380
aeon97@tss.net

Robert O’Brien (Pennsylvania)
215-803-5181

Murray Penner (DC)
National Alliance of State & Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD)
202-434-8099
mpenner@nastad.org

Fred Scaich (Oregon)
IFARA@attbi.com

Jerry Spillman (California)
gspillman@earthlink.net

Brian Varner (Tennessee)
Tennessee AIDS Support Services, Inc.
865-525-7766
tassi@kornet.org