Are You a ONE Supporter in Texas?

[Jamila]

Then this post is for you!


Earlier this week, I received an email from ONE urging me and all of you with a Texas residency to contact Sen. John Cornyn regarding his very important position on the Senate's Budget Committee which will be making the funding levels for assistance programs for the world's poorest people.

This process is happening right now and, as the ONE email says, it is IMPERATIVE that we contact Sen. Cornyn ASAP and if, possible, continue to contact him several times over the next few weeks regarding our desire to see FULL FUNDING LEVELS for programs to fight global poverty and AIDS.

I don't normally post much about ONE anymore here because I assume by now that y'all have signed the petition and hopefully support Bono's work on this issue.

But this is different - this time we right here in Texas have the chance to truly impact how much our government will put into programs to fight extreme poverty and AIDS in our world.


So I ask for your help and just a few minutes of your time over the next few weeks.

PLEASE SIGN THE EMAIL FOR SEN. CORNYN and then CONTINUE TO CONTACT HIS OFFICE AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS until the final budget numbers for the next fiscal budget (2007) are arrived at.

Here is Sen. Cornyn's website for further info on how to contact him:

http://cornyn.senate.gov/


Thanks everyONE for your time. I hope that all of us will take the few minutes a week
to contact Sen. Cornyn to ensure FULL FUNDING LEVELS FOR EXTREME POVERTY AND GLOBAL AIDS PROGRAMS ARE KEPT INTACT.

We all know that there are many other areas in our country's budget where a trimming of a few billion dollars won't make a sizeable difference.

But the trimming of any amount of money from these programs will mean the difference of whether or not people live or die.


Let's do this because it's the right thing to do. But we all know how pleased Bono would be to know that he can count on his fans/followers here in Texas to help out when they can to stop extreme poverty and AIDS in our world.


Blessings - not just for those who kneel.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------


Dear Debbie:

For the next 3 weeks, Texas has an important opportunity to help fight global AIDS and poverty.

Right now your Senator, John Cornyn, is one of the most important people in Washington. As a Senator on the Budget Committee, he will help decide how much life-saving assistance the U.S. will give to the world’s poorest countries—and he needs to hear from YOU!

Let’s keep up the positive pressure: Please email Senator Cornyn today!

He will lead the Congress in making choices now about how America will fight global AIDS and extreme poverty. Every email counts—it means our leaders know that we believe doing even more is in America’s interests and it’s the right thing to do.

Because of your efforts, America made promises in 2005 to fight AIDS and extreme poverty. Today, hundreds of thousands of people around the world are alive because of America’s historic commitment to fight AIDS. Thank you!

By working together as ONE, we can do even more.
Thank you,

The ONE Team
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you have a Texas residency, PLEASE HELP US END EXTREME POVERTY by taking this ONE big step forward.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

 

[Jamila]

Here is a sample letter you can send recommended by ONE:


As a key leader in Congress, I’m writing to ask you to support the President’s budget request for International Affairs at $35.1 billion— and even do more. This part of the budget provides critical life-saving assistance to combat global infectious disease and poverty and supports our diplomatic engagement in the world. It demonstrates who we are as Americans—people of hope, compassion and generosity.

As a member of ONE, I believe doing more to fight global AIDS and extreme poverty is in America’s interests and it’s the right thing to do. We can make a difference, and are. Right now, hundreds of thousands of people in Africa and around the world are alive because of America’s historic commitment to fight AIDS. With your support, we can do even more.

Please fund the President’s budget request for International Affairs and help America take this opportunity to save even more lives.

Thank you, (your name)
---------------------------------------------------------------

 

[Zoomerang96]

 

[Carek1230]

Awesome work Deb! Keep it up. I admire what you do. I'm in Califronia though so I don't know that me writing would do anything?

 

[Jamila]

The best thing that people can do is to check if their Senators are also on the Senate Budget Committee and contact them about this matter.

Also, as Senators make decisions about the course of the federal budget for all Americans, any person with U.S. citizenry should contact the Senate Budget Committee about this matter to help the world's poorest people.

Thanks for caring, Carek.

 

[Jamila]

Here is ONE excellent program that is supported by U.S. federal budget dollars:

http://www.theglobalfund.org/en/


The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria was created to dramatically increase resources to fight three of the world's most devastating diseases, and to direct those resources to areas of greatest need.

As a partnership between governments, civil society, the private sector and affected communities, the Global Fund represents an innovative approach to international health financing.

Global Fund's General Principles

The Global Fund was founded on a set of principles (these are fully described in the Global Fund's Framework Document) that guides everything we do - from governance to grant-making:
Operate as a financial instrument, not an implementing entity.
Make available and leverage additional financial resources.
Support programs that reflect national ownership.
Operate in a balanced manner in terms of different regions, diseases and interventions.
Pursue an integrated and balanced approach to prevention and treatment.
Evaluate proposals through independent review processes.
Establish a simplified, rapid and innovative grant-making process and operate transparently, with accountability.
Operate as a financial instrument, not an implementing entity.

The Global Fund's purpose is to attract, manage and disburse resources to fight AIDS, TB and malaria. We do not implement programs directly, relying instead on the knowledge of local experts.

As a financing mechanism, the Global Fund works closely with other multilateral and bilateral organizations involved in health and development issues to ensure that newly funded programs are coordinated with existing ones. In many cases, these partners participate in local Country Coordinating Mechanisms, providing important technical assistance during the development of proposals and implementation of programs.

The Global Fund is committed to relying on existing financial management, monitoring and reporting systems, where possible.




Make available and leverage additional financial resources.

The Global Fund only finances programs when it is assured that its assistance does not replace or reduce other sources of funding, either those for the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria or those that support public health more broadly. The Global Fund actively seeks to complement the finance of other donors and to use its own grants to catalyze additional investments by donors and by recipients themselves. In several countries, governments or other organizations have already increased their support to programs that fight these three diseases, validating the Global Fund's ambition to increase overall investment in health.

Since 2001, the Global Fund has attracted US$ 4.7 billion in financing through 2008. In its first two rounds of grant-making, it has committed US $ 1.5 billion in funding to support 154 programs in 93 countries worldwide.

This substantial infusion of resources will enable many countries to scale up existing programs to a level commensurate with need. Still others will initiate new programs where none existed due to a critical shortage of funds. In future years, the Global Fund's ability to support the expansion of proven interventions will depend entirely on its ability to raise additional funding.




Support programs that reflect national ownership.

The Global Fund encourages new and innovative alliances among partners within recipient countries and seeks the active participation of local representatives of civil society and the private sector. By focusing upon the technical quality of proposals, while leaving the design of programs and priorities to partners reflected by the Country Coordinating Mechanism, the Global Fund also encourages local ownership.

This approach serves not only to drive effective disease-specific strategies but also to support efforts to strengthen underlying health systems in recipient countries, consistent with national strategic plans. Programs underwritten by the Global Fund build upon existing poverty-reduction strategies and sector-wide approaches that have been developed to improve public health.




Operate in a balanced manner in terms of different regions, diseases and interventions.

In awarding grants, the Global Fund gives priority to effective proposals from countries and regions with the greatest need, based on the highest burden of disease and the fewest financial resources available to fight these epidemics. The Global Fund also supports grants in areas of the world with emerging epidemics, in an effort to avert further disaster. For example, a grant to Ukraine will help establish a system to provide HIV antiretrovirals, beginning a dramatic scale - up of treatment through an innovative partnership between the government and nongovernmental organizations.

The Global Fund is financing programs in all regions of the world. However, in recognition of the disproportionate impact of these diseases in Africa, 61% of funds approved in Rounds 1 and 2 will fund programs in sub-Saharan Africa. Nearly two-thirds of funds approved in these two rounds are for AIDS, with 17% and 14% for malaria and TB, respectively.




Pursue an integrated and balanced approach to prevention and treatment.

The Global Fund takes a comprehensive approach to AIDS, TB and malaria, funding both prevention and treatment based on locally determined needs. Three-quarters of countries awarded HIV/AIDS funds will use at least a portion of their grants to provide antiretroviral treatment. All HIV grants include prevention activities, most often focusing on young people who comprise 40% of all new infections worldwide. Grants for malaria will both expand access to insecticide-treated bed nets and give health officials the tools and training to identify, diagnose and treat people who are ill. In the case of TB, in particular, providing effective treatment has the added benefit of preventing the further spread of the disease.



Evaluate proposals through independent review processes.

The Global Fund's use of and independent Technical Review Panel ensures that limited resources are targeted to technically sound programs with the greatest chances of success. The panel includes disease experts, as well as experts in the field of development who are able to assess how proposed programs complement ongoing health and poverty reduction efforts at the country level.

Proposals are first screened for eligibility by the Secretariat and are then forwarded to the Technical Review Panel which assesses proposals for technical merit and consistency according to proven best practices. Through this review process, proposals are divided into four main categories: (1) ready and appropriate for funding; (2) appropriate for funding following a limited number of clarifications; (3) not appropriate for funding in the present round, but revision and resubmission is recommended; and (4) not appropriate for funding. The Board then considers the recommendations made by the Technical Review Panel and approves proposals in categories (1) and (2) based upon the availability of funds.

The Technical Review Panel, while applying even more rigorous standards in the second round than the first, perceived that proposal quality had improved, following significant investments by countries in the development of proposals, often with important input by technical partners.




Establish a simplified, rapid and innovative grant-making process and operate transparently, with accountability.

While the concept of performance-based grant-making is not new, the Global Fund is pioneering practical systems to implement this approach that balance the need for accountability and efficiency. This includes working with recipient countries to identify a small number of key indicators to be used to measure progress, and ensuring that, where possible, Global Fund reporting requirements rely on existing processes. The use of Local Fund Agents is another accountability mechanism designed to provide appropriate oversight while respecting local implementation.

The Global Fund's commitment to transparency is illustrated by the broad range of information available on this website. All approved proposals and signed grant agreements are available for review in unedited form, as are documents discussed at Board meetings.


The public is now able to track the progress of local programs by reviewing ongoing grantee reports.

Access to Global Fund information is further expanded through the website's use of six languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.

 

[verte76]

I'm from Alabama, I doubt if my Senators are supporting this. I'll write them anyway.

 

[Jamila]

Actually verte, I think that there is a very important Congressperson from Alabama (I can't remember if it's a Senator or a Representative from the House) that is on a VERY IMPORTANT committee regarding these programs - either on the Budget Committee or on the Foreign Relations Committee.

ONE was/is working very close with this person.

And it never hurts to contact your Senator and your Congressperson to do what they can to put a little bit of friendly pressure on the Budget and Foreign Relations Committee members to keep these programs from being budget cut.

Thanks for caring, verte - you are always such a lovely soul.

 

[Jamila]

Here is another program that is helping thousands of AIDS orphans in the developing world that is unfortunately facing possible cuts in its funding levels in the FY 2007 budget:

Landmark Legislation to Help Orphaned and Vulnerable Children Signed by President Bush

Washington, DC, November 9, 2005—Historic legislation, for the first time presenting a comprehensive response to the needs of orphaned and vulnerable children in poor countries, was signed into law yesterday by President Bush.

The Assistance for Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children in Developing Countries Act of 2005, introduced by Senators Richard Lugar (R-IN) and Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) in the Senate and by Representatives Henry Hyde (R-IL) and Barbara Lee (D-CA) in the House, represents bold bipartisan action to stop the suffering of millions of children orphaned by diseases of poverty, particularly HIV/AIDS, and made vulnerable by poverty, conflict, and other causes. The OVC Act was championed by Global Action for Children, a broad coalition of humanitarian, religious, and citizen advocacy groups.

In a statement upon the bill's passage, Senator Lugar remarked, "This bill improves our ability to provide assistance to orphans and vulnerable children in developing countries, who otherwise stand to lose generations of educated and trained professionals who can contribute meaningfully to their countries' development."

"I agree that this new law takes the long view," said Joanne Carter, Legislative Director of RESULTS, a citizen's advocacy group. "This measure not only emphasizes the immediate needs of food and medicine for the most vulnerable children, it also calls for the elimination of school fees and other barriers to education—offering children what they need to stay alive now and offering them a way to build their lives and their communities in the future."

The OVC Act is groundbreaking in the wide range of services and reforms it calls for, including psychosocial support, school feeding programs, treatment for HIV/AIDS, the elimination of school fees, protection of inheritance rights, and support for community-based care organizations.

"I applaud the Congress of the United States for this historic bill reaching out to support all orphans and vulnerable children worldwide," said Albina du Boisrouvray, president of the Association Francois-Xavier Bagnoud and co-chair of Global Action for Children. "Taking care of these children constitutes a major humanitarian, economic, security, and social challenge. The ultimate aim is to reintegrate these vulnerable children into society. Disoriented and deprived of love, they are easy prey for crime, prostitution, armed conflicts, terrorism, and drugs."

"The commitment to community support shown in this measure really resonates with United Methodist brothers and sisters, especially in Africa," noted Linda Bales, of the General Board of Church and Society at the United Methodist Church. "Millions of children struggle every day just to stay alive. We are grateful for the courage of the OVC Act sponsors and their commitment to these children."

The OVC Act requires the Administration to develop a comprehensive strategy for meeting the needs of orphans and other vulnerable children and establishes a Special Advisor for Orphans and Vulnerable Children to coordinate interagency U.S. government efforts to ensure maximum impact on the ground. Global Action for Children is now preparing a series of recommendations for the Administration to consider as it develops the strategy.

Milly Katana, a Ugandan AIDS activist with the Health Rights Action Group and a Global AIDS Alliance board member observed, "This is tremendous news for millions of children in poor countries. In my country AIDS has orphaned 1 million children, and they desperately need care and support. The programs the law authorizes should be fully funded."

Global Action for Children is a civic-engagement campaign to ensure comprehensive support for orphans and vulnerable children.


http://www.globalactionforchildren.org/latest/110905pressrelease.cfm

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Please do all that you can to make sure that this program for children is not cut in the FY2007 federal budget.


I'm sure the children would thank you.

 

[verte76]

Actually verte, I think that there is a very important Congressperson from Alabama (I can't remember if it's a Senator or a Representative from the House) that is on a VERY IMPORTANT committee regarding these programs - either on the Budget Committee or on the Foreign Relations Committee.

ONE was/is working very close with this person.

And it never hurts to contact your Senator and your Congressperson to do what they can to put a little bit of friendly pressure on the Budget and Foreign Relations Committee members to keep these programs from being budget cut.

Thanks for caring, verte - you are always such a lovely soul.

Thanks for letting me know about this--I'll check all of the connections and see what my congressmen are doing.

 

[GibsonGirl]

I DO NOT live in Texas, but I WILL SEE if there are any SIMILAR PROGRAMMES in CANADA.

 

[Jamila]

Thanks verte for your response.

Is Spencer Bacchus from Alabama? If he is, that is the person DATA and Bono have worked very closely with.

Otherwise, you could contact your regional co-ordinator for ONE and find out.

Please let me know what you find out.


And GibsonGirl - MANY, MANY THANKS for your interest and response to this thread.

The best thing for you to do is contact the Canadian branch of MakePovertyHistory to find out what people in Canada can do to help put pressure on your government to help the world's poorest people.

Here's their link:

http://www.makepovertyhistory.ca


The struggle is not simply about white bands or Live8 concerts.

It's about speaking truth to power and letting our governments know that we expect them to fulfill their promises to help the world's poorest people!

 

[Jamila]

Here's the latest email from the ONE regional co-ordinator for Texas:

Date: March 2, 2006

Message: Please call Senator John Cornyn by Wednesday, March 8, at 1-800-826-3688.


Tell him that the President’s request for International Affairs spending is not adequate. The International Affairs budget needs to be expanded to allow for a $5 billion increase in poverty-focused development assistance. [Note: This special, toll-free number will go directly to the Capitol switchboard, where you will ask to be connected to your member’s office in order to leave your message.] Senator Cornyn’s Washington DC office phone number is 202.224.2934




Background:

Senator Cornyn is a member of the Senate Budget Committee. The House and Senate Budget Committees are meeting in the next few days to draw up budget resolutions with recommendations about how to divvy up the federal budget. These recommendations will set the funding levels for every area of the U.S. budget, including International Affairs. The International Affairs part of the budget contains the poverty-focused programs we want to see increased by $5 billion this year. If the funding level in the International Affairs part of the budget resolution is too low, it will be very difficult for Congress later in the year, when they have to approve the actual spending/appropriations bills, to provide the kind of funding Bread for the World (and the ONE Campaign) believes is needed to meet the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.

Why are we asking for an additional $5 billion for poverty focused development assistance?
Currently the United States contributes less than one half of one percent of our federal budget for poverty-focused development assistance. We can do better than this.

When the leaders of the world’s most powerful countries gathered last summer in Scotland, President Bush committed to double aid to Africa and globally by 2010. To meet this commitment and previous promises the president and Congress have made, poverty-focused development assistance would need to increase by $5 billion each year through 2010. But the president has only requested a $2 billion increase in such assistance for fiscal year 2007. Congress – beginning with the House and Senate Budget Committees – must do better.
In 2000, 189 countries, including the United States, agreed to a set of eight specific goals for ending widespread hunger, poverty and disease in our world. In order to achieve these Millennium Development Goals, the U.S. share of the needed resources would be $25 billion by 2010. This means our government would need to increase poverty-focused development assistance by $5 billion in each year's budget from 2007 through 2010. Together with the increases gained for Fiscal Year 2006, the United States would come very close to the $25 billion goal.
The additional $5 billion dollars isn’t just a matter of reaching goals and promises; these funds would go to time-tested, effective programs that save and enrich people’s lives. The funding would be directed through accounts, such as the Child Health and Survival Fund, Global HIV/AIDS Initiative, Millennium Challenge Account, African Development Foundation, Development Assistance, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, all of which provide urgently needed, effective assistance and resources for the world’s poorest people to be able to help themselves.


Remember: More than 850 million people suffer from chronic hunger and malnutrition. Nearly half the world’s population lives on less than $2 per day. Every day 30,000 children die from preventable causes, more than half of them related to hunger and malnutrition.

Your voice is needed. Study after study has documented that the most influential person with members of Congress is you, their constituent. Please call today.


________________________________________________

If you're a ONE supporter in Texas or if your Senator is on the Senaate Budget Committee, or if YOU SIMPLY WANT TO SUPPORT ONE, PLEASE CALL YOUR SENATORS BY TOMORROW and let them know of your continued support of full funding of programs in the federal budget to end extreme poverty.

And thanks for caring about the world's poorest people.

 

[Jamila]

ONE more bump - for the world's poorest people.

 

[Jamila]

More info on the budget decisions currently being made by Congress:



The House and Senate budget committees will be marking up their
budget bills soon and their decisions will go a long way in
determining how much money is available for global health and
education programs in 2007.

Call your Senator or Representative on the Budget Committee TODAY to
ask him/her to vote for an International Affairs Account that is
large enough to ensure full funding for essential global health,
education and development programs.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE AN EXPERT -- !

JUST MAKE THAT CALL -- !

Action:

See below for contact information for your Senator and/or
Representative's office if s/he is on the budget committee. Then
call the office today and say something like the following to the
person who answers the phone:

"Hi, my name is [your name] and I'm from [your city and state] and
I'm calling to ask Senator/Representative [their last name] to fully
fund the President's request for the International Affairs Account
for essential health and basic education programs."

People to Call: Find your state below

IA: Rep. Nussle (1st district but everyone in IA should call because
he's running for governor-Chair of the House Budget Committee) 202-
225-2911 and Senator Grassley 202-224-3744

NH: Senator Gregg (Chair of the Senate Budget Committee) 202-224-
3324 and Representative Bradley (1st district) 202-225-5456

AL: Senator Sessions 202-224-4124, Representatives Bonner (1st) 202-
225-4931, Davis (7th) 202-225-2665

CA: Representative Capps (23rd) 202-225-3601, Campbell (48th) 202-
225-5611

CT: Representative DeLauro (3rd) 202-225-3661

CO: Senator Allard 202-224-5941

FL: Senator Nelson 202-224-5274, Representatives Crenshaw (4th) 202-
225-2501, Putnam (12th) 202-225-1252, Diaz-Balart (25th) 202-225-
2778, Mack (14th) 202-225-2536

GA: Representative McKinney (4th) 202-225-1605

HI: Representative Case (2nd) 202-225-4906

IA: Rep. Nussle (1st district but everyone in IA should call because
he's running for governor -Chair of the House Budget Committee) 202-
225-2911 and Senator Grassley 202-224-3744

ID: Senator Crapo, 202-224-6142 Representative Simpson (2nd) 202-225-
5531

IN: Representative Chocola (2nd) 202-225-3915

KS: Representatives Ryun (2nd) 202-225-6601, Moore (3rd) 202-225-
2865

KY: Senator Bunning 202-224-4343

LA: Representative Jefferson (2nd) 202-225-6636

MA: Representative Neal (2nd) 202-225-5601

MD: Senator Sarbanes 202-224-4524

ME: Representative Allen (1st) 202-225-6116

MI: Senator Stabenow 202-224-4822, Representative McCotter (11th)
202-225-8171

MO: Representative Hulshof (9th) 202-225-2956

MS: Representative Wicker (1st) 202-225-4306

NC: Representative McHenry (10th) 202-225-2576

ND: Senator Conrad 202-224-2043

NH: Senator Gregg (Chair of the Senate Budget Committee) 202-224-
3324 and Representative Bradley (1st district) 202-225-5456

NJ: Senator Corzine 202-224-4744, Representative Garrett (5th) 202-
225-4465,

NM: Senator Domenici 202-224-6621

NV: Senator Ensign 202-224-6244

OR: Senator Wyden 202-224-5244

PA: Representative Schwartz (13th) 202-225-6111

SC: Senator Graham 202-224-5972, Representatives Barrett (3rd) 202-
225-5301, Spratt (5th) 202-225-5501

SD: Senator Johnson 202-224-5842

TN: Senator Alexander 202-224-4944, Representatives Ford (9th) 202-
225-3265, Cooper (5th) 202-225-4311

TX: Senator Cornyn 202-224-2934, Representatives Hensarling (5th)
202-225-3484, Conaway (11th) 202-225-3605, Sessions (32nd) 202-225-
2231, Edwards (17th) 202-225-6105, Cuellar (28th) 202-225-1640

WA: Senator Murray 202-224-2621, Representative Baird (3rd) 202-225-
3536

WI: Senator Feingold 202-224-5323, Representatives Ryan (1st) 202-
225-3031, Kind (3rd) 202-225-5506

WV: Senator Byrd 202-224-3954

WY: Senator Enzi 202-224-3424

Background:

International Affairs Account (150 Account) of the budget includes
almost all of the funding for international HIV and AIDS, child
survival and family planning, hunger and clean water, basic
education, and other programs essential to global health and basic
human rights.

Historically Congress has under-funded the President's request for
this account. This year President Bush requested $35.11 billion for
the International Affairs Account. That level represents a cut to
family planning and child survival programs and to the Global Fund
to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and doesn't include money
for a new health care workers initiative or other essential
programs. We must get the House and the Senate to fully fund at a
minimum the President's request or else other essential programs
will be further cut. Every member of the budget committees has a
role to play and budget committee members in Iowa and New Hampshire
are the most critical.

For more actions you can take, visit our Take Action page.

http://www.globalaidsalliance.org/cd_action.cfm



A MAJOR VOTE WILL BE MADE BY CONGRESS THIS WEEK REGARDING FUNDING LEVELS FOR INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS.


PLEASE CONTACT YOUR SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES ASAP!


Millions of innocent lives in the world's poorest countries depend on it.

 

[Jamila]

Well, we did it!

The Senate passed the Santorum-Durbin Amendment to the FY 2007 federal budget which will increase the U.S. contribution to the Global Fund to $866 million.


Here is the info from the DATA website:


http://www.data.org/archives/000780.php



SENATORS SANTORUM AND DURBIN WIN $566 MILLION TO FIGHT GLOBAL AIDS


Durbin/Santorum Measure to Increase U.S. Contribution
to Global Fund to Fight AIDS Wins Senate Approval



[Washington, D.C.] U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Rick Santorum (R-PA) today applauded the passage of their amendment to increase the United States’ contribution to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria to $866 million in fiscal year 2007.

“The Global Fund must increase in the face of an expanding global epidemic. This is not a partisan or political issue; it is a moral issue. Millions of lives are hanging in the balance,” Senator Durbin said. “This U.S. contribution sends a clear signal to other nations that they must step up.”

“I am pleased that my Senate colleagues joined Senator Durbin and I today to adopt this amendment,” said Senator Santorum. “It is essential that the U.S. contribution to the Global Fund be increased so that we can continue to provide life-saving and life-sustaining assistance to people infected with HIV/AIDS and other diseases in the poorest areas of the world."

The Global Fund works in 130 countries and it addresses TB and malaria, in addition to HIV/AIDS. The requirement that each U.S. dollar be matched by two dollars from other donors is a critical mechanism to leverage contributions from other nations to the global fight against AIDS, TB, and malaria. The Global Fund estimates that it will need $1.6 billion to renew current proven grants and an additional $1 billion to fund a new round of grants to meet the growing need.

Tom Hart, Deputy Executive Director of DATA, said: “We congratulate and thank Senator Santorum and Senator Durbin for winning this amendment. While they lead opposing political parties, they are leaders together in the fight against global HIV/AIDS and other diseases in the poorest parts of the world. We and the thousands of Americans who supported them through the ONE campaign are looking for the same courageous effort in the House of Representatives. Support for the Global Fund translates into lives saved. This amendment would allow that to continue and grow.”

“This is a splendid triumph for a lot of sick people who are going to be kept alive as a result of the passage of this amendment,” said Jack Valenti, President of Friends of the Global Fight against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.



On average, every $100 million contribution to the Global Fund will generate the following results:
• The Fund can provide 630,000 bed nets to fight malaria, and
• It can deliver 150,000 treatments for malaria, and,
• It can provide 80,000 highly-effective DOTS treatments for TB, and
• It can supply 370,000 people with HIV tests, and
• It can provide 11,000 people with life-saving AIDS treatment.

Roughly 34 million people have died from HIV/AIDS since the start of the epidemic and an estimated 70 million have been infected. Every 60 seconds, there are 5 more deaths from AIDS and 9 more infections. Over the next decade, an estimated 50 million more people will contract HIV.

-----------------------------------------------------



This is EXCELLENT NEWS for the future survival of the world's poorest people.

THANK YOU to everyone who called their Senators over the last few days about this matter -

your voice DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

 

[Carek1230]

 

[Jamila]

From the ONE blog today:

Congratulations - We Did It!
Yesterday evening and early TODAY, the Senate passed both the Santorum-Durbin and DeWine-Leahy Amendments. CLOSE TO 16,000 ONE supporters called their Senators, asking them to support funding that will help fight global AIDS, TB and malaria and save the lives of mothers and children around the world - and it looks like our efforts paid off!

It's incredible to see what can be done when we all work together. Senators Santorum, Durbin, DeWine and Leahy demonstrated true leadership by reaching across political divides to do the right thing: save lives. We should all celebrate this victory and feel proud for coming together and working as ONE.


http://www.one.org/blog/



Kudos to everyONE here who helped to make this a reality.


In a few weeks we will get the chance to weigh in once again with our Congresspeople about these amendments.

Keep looking for future ONE action alerts.


We are much more effective when we work as ONE.

 

[verte76]

Great!

 

[Jamila]

Thanks, dear verte and Carek for your continued support of ONE.

Texas is poised to become an important outreach opportunity for ONE with one of our Senators on the Senate Appropriations Committee and the other on the Senate Budget Committee.

Probably one of the reasons why Bono is finally coming to speak about ONE in Texas.

 

[Carek1230]

Oh how I wish I could afford to go to Dallas to hear Bono speak. One of the items on my list of things to do in my lifetime is to hear Bono SPEAK. Once again I will rely on a number of fellow U2 fan/friends to share their experience with me. I know you will too, Jamila. Thanks!

 

[Jamila]

Oh how I wish I could afford to go to Dallas to hear Bono speak. One of the items on my list of things to do in my lifetime is to hear Bono SPEAK. Once again I will rely on a number of fellow U2 fan/friends to share their experience with me. I know you will too, Jamila. Thanks!

I definitely will be there.

I got my ticket as soon as they went on sale this past Sunday.

And I got a FABULOUS ticket with a clear view of Bono.

I only wished that I could have been that lucky and scored a GA ticket into the Ellipse during the Vertigo tour.


Since Bono's first speaking engagement on "The Heart of America" tour, I have been urging folks at DATA (now ONE) to bring Bono to speak in Texas about extreme poverty since Texas is the homestate of the President and the President is touchy about the way he is perceived in Texas.

Finally, it seems that someone has listened with this trip of Bono's to Dallas.


With Sen. Hutchison on the Senate Appropriations Committee and Sen. Cornyn on the Senate Budget Committee, Bono has two influential Senators regarding funding levels for anti-poverty programs to begin to put some pressure on.


Welcome to Texas, Bono!

 

[Jamila]

Since JubileeUSA has recently made the decision to join ONE, this action alert from Jubilee seems appropriate here.


Thanks Jubilee for joining your voice with the ONE Campaign!


http://www.jubileeusa.org/jubilee.cgi?path=/take_action&page=bankcallin0306.html

Take Action: Urge World Bank to Remove Deadly Delays to Debt Cancellation

March 22-24: National Call-In Days to World Bank Ahead of March 28 Board Meeting

Please call the World Bank between March 22-24 to urge the World Bank to remove deadly delays to debt cancellation.

Though World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz has said 42 countries will benefit from the (Group of 8) G-8 nations debt deal, the fine print of the World Bank’s plan to implement debt cancellation means that beyond an initial 17 nations, any additional countries will have to wait at a minimum until mid-2007 – a full two years after the G-8 Summit in Gleneagles – for their debts to be cancelled to the World Bank. These countries will have to keep paying their debts in the meantime even after they reach the completion point – and these payments are non-refundable. Some nations, like Haiti, will have to wait until 2009. This is unacceptable.

Thank you for taking time to call World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz and US Executive Director to the World Bank Robert Holland personally. Calling is the most effective way to get our message across that delaying debt cancellation costs lives and is unacceptable! Below we have listed contact phone numbers and a suggested script. And click here to send an email to the World Bank.

Contact Info for World Bank President and US Executive Director on the Bank Board:
[If you have time for only one call, please call President Wolfowitz.]

World Bank President, Paul Wolfowitz
Phone: (202) 458-0198

US Executive Director to the World Bank, Robert Holland
Phone: (202) 458-0115

Phone Script:

Hello. Could I speak to [name of World Bank director] please?

1. If you reach them personally:
My name is _______ and I’m from [City, State]. I’m calling to ask that the World Bank keep the promise made by world leaders to the world’s poorest nations at your Board meeting on Tuesday March 28th. I urge you to allow countries to receive 100% cancellation as soon as they reach completion point, without unnecessary additional delays and harmful economic conditions. Delays to debt cancellation cost lives.

2. If you are told he/she is unavailable, or that they cannot put you through, ask the person on the phone to relay the following message:
My name is _______ and I’m from [City, State]. Would you please ask [name of World Bank director] to keep the promise world leaders made to the world’s poorest nations when the Board meets on Tuesday March 28th? I urge you to allow countries to receive 100% cancellation as soon as they reach completion point, without unnecessary additional delays and harmful economic conditions. Delays to debt cancellation cost lives.

Thank you for taking action today!
- Jubilee USA Network, March 2006

 

[Jamila]

From the ONE website:


After Senate victory, we’re on to the House…
Posted by Erin

07:00 PM Mar 27, 2006



Your recent Senate victory added hundreds of millions of dollars to the budget to help beat global AIDS and extreme poverty! Now we're ready to shift focus to the House of Representatives.

THIS WEEK, the House Budget Committee sits down to determine what priority the U.S. puts on fighting global AIDS and poverty.

Check the end of this blog to see if your Representative is on the House Budget Committee and send an email asking him or her to support life-saving funding!

They'll be putting it to a vote and lives are at stake, so let's keep up the positive pressure and ask the House to support funding that will help fight global AIDS, TB and malaria and save the lives of mothers and children around the world!

Check out the Des Moines Register and the Quad-City Times to see what Iowans have been doing to encourage House Budget Committee Chairman, Jim Nussle, to fight global AIDS and extreme poverty.


Alabama
Representative Jo Bonner
District - 1

Alabama
Representative Artur Davis
District - 7

California
Representative Dan Lungren
District - 3

California
Representative Lois Capps
District - 23

Connecticut
Representative Rosa DeLauro
District - 3

Florida
Representative Ander Crenshaw
District - 4

Florida
Representative Mario Diaz-Balary
District - 25

Florida
Representative Connie Mack
District - 14

Florida
Representative Adam Putnam
District - 12

Florida
Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
District - 18

Georgia
Representative Cynthia McKinney
District - 4

Hawaii
Representative Ed Case
District - 2

Idaho
Representative Mike Simpson
District - 2

Indiana
Representative Chris Chocola
District - 2

Iowa
Representative Jim Nussle
District - 1

Kansas
Representative Jim Ryun
District - 2

Kansas
Representative Dennis Moore
Kansas

Louisiana
Representative William Jefferson
District - 2

Maine
Representative Thomas Allen
District - 1

Massachusetts
Representative Richard Neal
District - 2

Michigan
Representative Thaddeus McCotter
District - 11

Mississippi
Representative Roger Wicker
District - 1

Missouri
Representative Kenny Hulshof
District - 9

New Hampshire
Jeb Bradley
District - 1

New Jersey
Representative Scott Garrett
District - 5

North Carolina
Representative Patrick McHenry
District - 10

Pennsylvania
Representative Allyson Schwartz
District - 13

Representative John Spratt
South Carolina
District - 5

South Carolina
Representative J. Gresham Barrett
District - 3

Tennessee
Representative Jim Cooper
District - 5

Tennessee
Representative Harold E. Ford Jr.
District - 9

Texas
Representative Mike Conaway
District - 11

Texas
Representative Jeb Hensarling
District - 5

Texas
Representative Pete Sessions
District - 32

Texas
Representative Henry Cuellar
District - 28

Texas
Representative Chet Edwards
District - 17

Washington
Representative Brian Baird
District - 3

Wisconsin
Representative Paul Ryan
District - 1

Wisconsin
Representative Ron Kind
District - 3


-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please contact your Representative THIS WEEK to let them know that you STAND AS ONE in funding the fight against Global AIDS and extreme poverty in the FY 2007 budget.


Think of the thousands of lives which will be saved.

 

[Jamila]

From the ONE website today:


Last week, the House cut funding that would have helped fight global AIDS and extreme poverty. More than 160,000 ONE supporters across the United States called their Congressmen and asked them to support the President's budget request to fund the fight against AIDS and extreme poverty - but they didn't do it.

Under the leadership of Congressman Jim Nussle (R-IA), Chairman of the Budget Committee, the House stripped more than $2 billion from the President's proposed plan to provide life-saving assistance to the world's poorest countries. And Representative Jeb Bradley (R-NH) introduced and passed an amendment that cut $800 million from the President's budget request to fund the fight against AIDS and poverty.

Call Congressman Nussle and Congressman Bradley and let them know you’re disappointed with the cuts to the International Affairs budget:


Congressman Nussle:
Davenport Office: (563) 326–1841
Washington, DC Office: (202) 225-2911

Congressman Bradley:
Washington, DC: (202) 225-5456
Manchester, NH: (603) 641-9536

In the Senate, despite significant gains in life-saving funding through the efforts of Senators Santorum (R-PA), Durbin (D-IL), DeWine (R-OH) and Leahy (D-VT), there was also a failure to deliver on the President's budget request to fully fund the fight against AIDS and poverty. Ultimately, the Senate slashed $2 billion from the President's proposal.

Though we are all disappointed, there will be opportunities in the future to do more. Keep checking the ONE blog for more information and chances to take action.



I would encourage EVERYONE who wants to see the end of extreme poverty to CALL THESE CONGRESSMEN and let them know about your disappointment in their actions.

Ultimately, the Congress represents EVERY American so we all have the right and the duty to let these people know how we feel!


Thanks for caring about the world's poorest people.

 

[Jamila]

And here's a good article which shows WHY this money to end extreme poverty is so ESSENTIAL - because IT WORKS!



Experts Boost Low-Cost Health Care By MARGIE MASON, AP Medical Writer

Mon Apr 3, 7:30 PM ET



Can good health come cheap? That's the question some of the world's leading health experts are answering with new research aimed at helping poor countries get the most bang for their buck by using inexpensive, simple interventions like taking aspirin to cut down on heart disease and stroke — the biggest single killer in developing nations.

"You do not need to have much in the way of resources to acquire good health at a national level," said Dean Jamison, a health economics professor at the University of California, San Francisco. "If you have the right policies, if you make the right investments, huge health gains can ensue."

Researchers released three books Monday at the start of a four-day global health conference that outline the best and worst buys when trying to save lives from maladies ranging from cancer and HIV/AIDS to traffic accident injuries.

The findings suggested that spending money on cost-effective intervention can add years to people's lives.

For instance, spending an extra $2 to $20 on expanding childhood vaccination programs buys an extra year of life, while paying $8 to $20 to switch to lower resistance combination malaria drugs is equal to an added year of healthy life.

"Many of our ministers think of health systems as a bottomless pit that cannot be addressed," said George Alleyne, director emeritus of the Pan American Health Organization and an editor for the Disease Control Priorities Project. "You do not have to be rich to improve your health; that is an essential message of this book."

He said countries can save large amounts of money simply by using the data collected for what works and what doesn't — for example, avoiding costly surgery for people with epilepsy and instead providing pills that cost pennies apiece.

Adding speed bumps at intersections was found to bring big savings by greatly reducing the number of traffic accidents, while using aspirin and beta-blocker drugs cut down on the need for heart bypass surgeries.

Dr. Shigeru Omi, the World Health Organization's regional director for the Western Pacific, said the region desperately needs cost-effective interventions to offset its huge health burden, which varies greatly among countries.

Japan has a life expectancy of 82 years, compared to Papua New Guinea's 53 years.

"In the 37 countries and areas that make up our region, 11,000 people die every day due to cardiovascular disease and another 6,500 people die as the result of cancer," he said in a video presentation at the conference's opening. "More than 1 million cases of tuberculosis are diagnosed annually in the region every year."

Jamison said developing countries do not need a lot of wealth to make huge improvements in health. He said the life expectancy in China increased by 30 years from 1950 to 1980, even though the country's income levels were still low.

China also has improved the health of people in rural areas — where health systems are often inadequate — by fortifying foods, including adding iodine to salt and iron to soy sauce, said Dr. Sally Stansfield, global health strategies associate director at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which provided a grant for the research.

"Food fortification is huge," she said. "It's highly cost-effective."

She also cited Tanzania as one country that juggled funds into different programs to maximize value. By adding only 80 cents per person, district health officials were able to reduce infant mortality rates by 47 percent in two years. If that was expanded nationwide, more than 47,000 lives could be saved there each year, she said.



http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060403...89Z24cA;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA--