The House of Representatives on Wednesday, December 19, passed a $555 billion spending bill for fiscal year 2008, which will fund the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Department of State, USAID and other global health and aid programs, reports Kaisernetwork.org (kaisernetwork.org, 12/20).
The bill, which is expected to be approved by President Bush, would provide $6.5 billion for national and international health initiatives. Five billion dollars would go to the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, up $1.2 billion from last year.
The bill would provide an additional $1.8 billion for global health and child survival programs, with $347 million going to HIV/AIDS programs.
Funding for the AIDS Drug Assistance Programs—government-funded programs that help low-income, uninsured and underinsured HIV-positive people access HIV medications—would increase by $19 million, to $809 million. Also, the measure would lift a ban that restricts the funding of needle-exchange programs in Washington, DC.
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Previous Comments:
comments 1 - 6 (of 6 total)
Jackie, DeFuniak Springs, 2007-12-28 09:48:15
I pray that he will sign this Bill. And hope that everyone else will pray also...We need that increase
Bill Arnold, Washington, DC, 2007-12-28 09:06:52
The Nationbal ADAP Working Group calculated the FY 08 ADAP need increase at an additional $232 Million. Enough to treat an additional 17,663 HIV+ Americans via ADAP. The $19 Million increase will only fund less than 10% of the need. The ADAP crfiosis will thus continue for yet another year. When will AIDS advocates finally say "enough discrimination"?
Maria Rodriguez, Bronx, 2007-12-28 02:14:20
Let's all pray together and hope that this, this......I don't even have words for him, does the right thing...He hasn't done much of anything right, that's why we have to pray for some kind of miracle...We sure need it..God Bless all you people out there living like I live..Take care!!!!
George H., Mesquite, 2007-12-27 21:39:46
If Bush does decide to veto the bill, what would the democrats do to the HIV/AIDS budget if they were elected. I'm fretful about the upcoming electon if we do not get a president in the house that cares about the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the U.S.
Jeff Cole, , 2007-12-27 15:53:45
Please keep us informed of any biil that affects our lives.. also please let us know if he signs it.Like to know if anyone opposed the increases & why. Thanks
Steve S., Memphis, 2007-12-27 11:37:15
We will see if Bush signs the budget. He has vetoed so much in 2007, who knows what he will do?
Beth Benne, RN, is HIV negative, but
the virus has impacted her life. She currently supervises a biannual HIV/AIDS awareness week as
the director of the student health center at Pierce College, a
community commuter school in Woodland Hills, California.
Woman of the Month is supported by exclusive advertising from Gilead.
Overheard in the Women's Forum
"I think that it's OK to be angry. I am sometimes—it's natural—we are HIV positive. but I always try to not let myself stay there too long. Let yourself feel you are human. You should not beat yourself up about being angry."
