February 5, 2008

President Bush Releases FY 2009 AIDS Budget Proposals

On February 4, President George W. Bush released his proposed $3.1 trillion budget for the 2009 fiscal year, which offers both funding increases and cuts for programs aimed at people living with HIV/AIDS, the Associated Press reports (ap.google.com, 2/4).

According to the AP, Bush called for increased spending on global HIV/AIDS programs as part of a $22.7 billion foreign-aid boost, yet proposes cutting funding to such AIDS-related domestic programs as Medicare and Medicaid, as well as nonprofit groups that help the poor, to keep his promise of a $48 billion surplus by 2012.

In a separate piece, Kaiser Network reports that funding for the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)—which oversees the Ryan White Care Program—will be reduced by $1 billion from last year. Yet according to the Kaiser piece, a HRSA press release mentions that Bush’s budget proposal would actually provide a $1.1 million increase for the Ryan White Program, along with a $6 million increase for state AIDS Drug Assistance Programs.

Also, the Kaiser article reports that Bush calls for a $300 million increase in funding to provide housing and improved medical care for low-income people living with HIV/AIDS.

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Florence, Medford Oregon, 2008-02-11 12:22:19
I honestly belive that the problem here should be addressed....don't take away from us We live here in this country...Help stop the spread of HIV?AIDS here.