oktobergirl
Refugee
I received this email from Stop Global AIDS today. in short, the vote didn't go so well in the Senate yesterday with re: to the Global AIDS funding proposal to add $1billion to the total ALLOCATED to the Global Fund. As some of you may remember, the promise was for 3 billion initially but this was reduced to $2million amidst claims that the agencies could not "handle' the 3 billion (which has been proven to be falso acc to UN reports). There are many agencies out there that can adequately fund and distribute this amount.
Anyway, the 1billion offered on this bill was to make up for that 1billion LOST because of past amendments to the original bill.
We do have another chance to redeem on Sept 16. I hope you will all educate yourselves and see how important this extra money is. See below for the info and let's bug the crap out of Congress on Sept 16.
here is the update from SBA.org:
We LOST an important vote in the US Senate last night -- but without
your calls, faxes and emails we would have lots by much more.
Instead, thanks to your pressure, we managed to get the votes of
some Democrats we thought we might lose and we got the vote of a
Republican Senator (Senator Collins of Maine).
Senator Specter let us down in a major way by speaking out against
the amendment. And it was breathtaking to witness the hypocrisy of
senior Senators (from TN, OH, VA, WY, and MN) who just a few weeks
ago saw the impact for themselves of AIDS in Africa.
Have a look at how your Senators voted by visiting this link:
Vote # 00332 on September 9
www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll..._menu_108_1.htm
==> And let them know how you feel about their vote by faxing them a
letter! Below you will find a full statement on what happened, from
Global AIDS Alliance. But also note that IT'S NOT OVER YET -- WE
STILL HAVE SOME CHANCES LEFT TO BEFORE CONGRESS ADJOURNS TO LET OUR
LEGISLATORS KNOW WE EXPECT *TRUE EMERGENCY ACTION* ON AIDS. So let
your Senators know you still expect them to do what's right!
=======================
==> NEXT ACTION: NATIONAL CALL-IN DAY ON SEPTEMBER 16TH!!! MARK
YOUR CALENDAR!!!
URGE THE PRESIDENT TO SUPPORT $3 BILLION IN FUNDING FOR GLOBAL AIDS
JOIN THOUSANDS OF AIDS ACTIVISTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY!
How do I do it? Simple! Call 202-456-1111 on September 16.
Tell President Bush that you support the United States spending $3
billion on global AIDS this year, including $1billion for the Global
Fund to fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria. Tell the President to deliver
on his promise for this funding without taking the money from other
health and development programs. Together with thousands of
Americans across the United States, we will send a message to our
President that we want to see action to stop the spread of AIDS.
[/i}
Participating Groups: DATA, Student Global AIDS Campaign, Student
Campaign for Child Survival, Global AIDS Alliance, Global Health
Council, Save the Children, Mercy Corps, United Methodist Church,
AFL-CIO, International AIDS Candlelight Memorial, Florida AIDS
Action, PHR, CARE, RESULTS, JUBILEE, Stop Global AIDS, Religion
Action Center of Reform Judaism, AIDS Policy Project
======================
GLOBAL AIDS ALLIANCE
Senators Guilty of Hypocrisy in Rejecting Funding of Global AIDS Plan
Washington, Sept 10 - Last night the US Senate rejected an amendment
that would have enabled the US to keep its promise to provide $3
billion to fight AIDS, TB and malaria in FY 2004. The measure,
offered by Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL) would have added $1 billion to
spending on these diseases, bringing the total to the $3 billion
that was promised by legislation signed by the President in June.
The amendment, opposed by the President, was defeated 43 to 51.
"The level of hypocrisy among many in the Senate seems to know no
limit when it comes to the global AIDS crisis," charged Dr. Paul
Zeitz, Executive Director of the Global AIDS Alliance. Senators
Miller, Carper and Conrad were the only Democrats to vote against,
with Senator Collins (R-ME) the courageous Republican supporter.
Six of those who voted against are senior Republicans just back from
ten days in Africa, where they looked into the eyes of those dying
of AIDS. One, Senator Dewine (R-OH) called the trip a "gut-
wrenching experience." In addition, most of those who voted against
the measure had voted in July to put the Senate on record in favor
of fully funding the $3 billion authorization bill even if it means
breaking the budget caps. The resolution, known as the Bingaman
Amendment, passed 78 to 18.
"How could these Senators vote for the Bingaman Amendment and yet
vote down a measure that would have actually provided the funding?"
asked Zeitz. "How could Republican leaders, including Senator Bill
Frist, a physician, vote for Bingaman, then travel to Africa and
shake the hands of the most desperate people in the world, and still
vote 'nay' last night? Their hypocrisy is simply breathtaking."
Only three months ago Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) signed a letter
to the chair of the Appropriations Committee urging that the full $3
billion be provided. Yet, last night he spoke strongly against the
Durbin amendment. He claimed that the US was spending over $14
billion to fight AIDS, misleadingly including spending to fight AIDS
in the US. He also cited a White House letter which falsely claimed
the additional spending could not be effectively utilized.
"These Senators and President Bush seem determined to defy 52
African heads of state, the United States Catholic Conference, the
heads of 13 Protestant and Orthodox Christian denominations, the
Congressional Black Caucus, the NAACP and a broad range of other
civic organizations, all of whom have explicitly appealed for the US
to keep her promises by providing the $3 billion. We say, enough,
it's time to treat AIDS like a real emergency, as the President
himself rightly termed it just nine months ago in his State of the
Union Address."
Anyway, the 1billion offered on this bill was to make up for that 1billion LOST because of past amendments to the original bill.
We do have another chance to redeem on Sept 16. I hope you will all educate yourselves and see how important this extra money is. See below for the info and let's bug the crap out of Congress on Sept 16.
here is the update from SBA.org:
We LOST an important vote in the US Senate last night -- but without
your calls, faxes and emails we would have lots by much more.
Instead, thanks to your pressure, we managed to get the votes of
some Democrats we thought we might lose and we got the vote of a
Republican Senator (Senator Collins of Maine).
Senator Specter let us down in a major way by speaking out against
the amendment. And it was breathtaking to witness the hypocrisy of
senior Senators (from TN, OH, VA, WY, and MN) who just a few weeks
ago saw the impact for themselves of AIDS in Africa.
Have a look at how your Senators voted by visiting this link:
Vote # 00332 on September 9
www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll..._menu_108_1.htm
==> And let them know how you feel about their vote by faxing them a
letter! Below you will find a full statement on what happened, from
Global AIDS Alliance. But also note that IT'S NOT OVER YET -- WE
STILL HAVE SOME CHANCES LEFT TO BEFORE CONGRESS ADJOURNS TO LET OUR
LEGISLATORS KNOW WE EXPECT *TRUE EMERGENCY ACTION* ON AIDS. So let
your Senators know you still expect them to do what's right!
=======================
==> NEXT ACTION: NATIONAL CALL-IN DAY ON SEPTEMBER 16TH!!! MARK
YOUR CALENDAR!!!
URGE THE PRESIDENT TO SUPPORT $3 BILLION IN FUNDING FOR GLOBAL AIDS
JOIN THOUSANDS OF AIDS ACTIVISTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY!
How do I do it? Simple! Call 202-456-1111 on September 16.
Tell President Bush that you support the United States spending $3
billion on global AIDS this year, including $1billion for the Global
Fund to fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria. Tell the President to deliver
on his promise for this funding without taking the money from other
health and development programs. Together with thousands of
Americans across the United States, we will send a message to our
President that we want to see action to stop the spread of AIDS.
[/i}
Participating Groups: DATA, Student Global AIDS Campaign, Student
Campaign for Child Survival, Global AIDS Alliance, Global Health
Council, Save the Children, Mercy Corps, United Methodist Church,
AFL-CIO, International AIDS Candlelight Memorial, Florida AIDS
Action, PHR, CARE, RESULTS, JUBILEE, Stop Global AIDS, Religion
Action Center of Reform Judaism, AIDS Policy Project
======================
GLOBAL AIDS ALLIANCE
Senators Guilty of Hypocrisy in Rejecting Funding of Global AIDS Plan
Washington, Sept 10 - Last night the US Senate rejected an amendment
that would have enabled the US to keep its promise to provide $3
billion to fight AIDS, TB and malaria in FY 2004. The measure,
offered by Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL) would have added $1 billion to
spending on these diseases, bringing the total to the $3 billion
that was promised by legislation signed by the President in June.
The amendment, opposed by the President, was defeated 43 to 51.
"The level of hypocrisy among many in the Senate seems to know no
limit when it comes to the global AIDS crisis," charged Dr. Paul
Zeitz, Executive Director of the Global AIDS Alliance. Senators
Miller, Carper and Conrad were the only Democrats to vote against,
with Senator Collins (R-ME) the courageous Republican supporter.
Six of those who voted against are senior Republicans just back from
ten days in Africa, where they looked into the eyes of those dying
of AIDS. One, Senator Dewine (R-OH) called the trip a "gut-
wrenching experience." In addition, most of those who voted against
the measure had voted in July to put the Senate on record in favor
of fully funding the $3 billion authorization bill even if it means
breaking the budget caps. The resolution, known as the Bingaman
Amendment, passed 78 to 18.
"How could these Senators vote for the Bingaman Amendment and yet
vote down a measure that would have actually provided the funding?"
asked Zeitz. "How could Republican leaders, including Senator Bill
Frist, a physician, vote for Bingaman, then travel to Africa and
shake the hands of the most desperate people in the world, and still
vote 'nay' last night? Their hypocrisy is simply breathtaking."
Only three months ago Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) signed a letter
to the chair of the Appropriations Committee urging that the full $3
billion be provided. Yet, last night he spoke strongly against the
Durbin amendment. He claimed that the US was spending over $14
billion to fight AIDS, misleadingly including spending to fight AIDS
in the US. He also cited a White House letter which falsely claimed
the additional spending could not be effectively utilized.
"These Senators and President Bush seem determined to defy 52
African heads of state, the United States Catholic Conference, the
heads of 13 Protestant and Orthodox Christian denominations, the
Congressional Black Caucus, the NAACP and a broad range of other
civic organizations, all of whom have explicitly appealed for the US
to keep her promises by providing the $3 billion. We say, enough,
it's time to treat AIDS like a real emergency, as the President
himself rightly termed it just nine months ago in his State of the
Union Address."
