In an opinion piece published on Politico.com (politico.com, 4/15), former Senator Rick Santorum (R) urges current Republican senators not to “drag their feet” in reauthorizing the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) after the House of Representatives’ recent approval of the bill. If the Senate approves it, the bill would allocate $50 billion in AIDS relief to developing countries over the next five years.
“Yes, $50 billion is big money,” writes Santorum, who worked on the plan’s original legislation five years ago. “But PEPFAR is now a big part of our foreign policy. It offers people hope instead of hopelessness. It shows the world our heart and that America is a blessing to the oppressed and suffering across the globe. And it needs reauthorizing now.”
The column responds to other conservatives who have blasted the bill for removing abstinence-education mandates in favor of more comprehensive funding. According to Santorum, the reauthorization bill strengthens the “conscience clause” and forbids PEPFAR funds from being used to advocate prostitution or sex trafficking.
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comments 1 - 3 (of 3 total)
RZ, Washington, DC, 2008-04-23 12:36:39
Conservatives like to show they care about people with AIDS by focusing on Africa and other third world countries where there are (so they claim) no gay men. They don't even want to say the word "gay" let alone focus on the epidemic among gay men in America. What we need is an American PEPFAR. Don't count on Santorum supporting that. Also it is stupid to prohibit working with sex workers in countries where they are one of the main sources of the spread of the virus.
Ken, Albuquerque, 2008-04-22 10:18:38
If only Santorum , an anti-gay has been in the politiacl arena, was truthful about the need to continue PEPFAR.
The Repugs know it's not about showing how big the American heart is. It's about hte only thing the US gov't has done that is not a foreign policy disaster.
While I agree we need to better fund our own RW Program, this is important too.
Just don't think, dear Repugs, that this makes up for 8 years of failed policies.
JJ Bear, Phoenix, 2008-04-22 10:05:21
Yet we under fund the Ryan White care grant. When will these Bigoted lawmakers wake up? HIV is not just a gay and drug users disease, it hits all equally. Sorry but we nrrd to see to the needs of our own Here in the USA before we go out to save the world.
Queenie
