A bill authorized February 27 by both the White House and House leaders will more than triple funding for the President’s Emergency Program for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) to $50 billion over the next five years, The Washington Post reports (washingtonpost.com, 2/28).

The reauthorization bill—if passed by the Senate—would also loosen abstinence-messaging requirements for the global AIDS program. While countries are encouraged to spend 50 percent of their funding on sexual-transmission prevention programs that promote abstinence, countries may appeal to Congress to spend less on that component. According to the Post, PEPFAR officials also affirm that “abstinence” is only the first part of the program’s ABC strategy, which also includes the messages “be faithful” and “condom use.”

The $50 billion will also go toward treating pregnant women to prevent mother-to-child transmission, making blood supplies safer and providing clean syringes to medical facilities.