PI Action alerts & updates ... 2003

U.S. House of Representatives To Vote
on Appropriations Bill This Thursday

Your Help Is Again Needed To SAVE ADAP!!

On Thursday, the House of Representatives will vote on Fiscal Year 2004 funding levels for HIV/AIDS care and treatment programs, including the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP). The amount of increase being proposed will only meet 14% of the projected demand on the program.

The $39 million increase for ADAP approved by the House Appropriations Committee falls severely short of the $283 million identified as needed to alleviate the current ADAP crisis. Over 20,000 newly diagnosed HIV positive Americans will not have access to anti-HIV medications in 2004. In addition, the proposed flat funding for Title I of the Ryan White CARE Act and cuts to other Titles represents a dangerous turning point in the history of the CARE Act. These Titles must have adequate increases to provide essential support and healthcare services to people with HIV/AIDS.

This wholesale retreat from the promise of the Ryan White CARE Act will devastate these life saving programs. Newly identified HIV positive people by the CDC’s Rapid HIV Testing initiative will find severe limits on accessing care and treatment. Individuals cut off from Medicaid due to new restrictions will be put on ADAP waiting lists. Fifteen ADAPs have already closed enrollment, with seven more about to join the ranks. Without adequate funding, the ADAP crisis will reach unprecedented proportions.

There is still time to make your voice heard if you call your elected officials immediately. Please take a few minutes to call your House Representative and urge him/her to support adequate funding for ADAP and other critical HIV/AIDS programs. Lives do depend on it!

Action needed:
Call your U.S. Representative immediately and no later than end of day Wednesday, July 9. Ask to speak to their legislative aide who handles HIV/health care issues. You can use the following phone script to help craft your message.

“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 Appropriations Committee and must be improved. I encourage Representative ___________ to fight on the House floor for a $283 million increase for ADAP and the highest possible increases for all HIV/AIDS programs.”

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