GAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! Debt/AIDS bill is dying....HEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLPPPP!

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Sherry Darling

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Okay, all, here's the latest from Capitol Hill. Tues. Bush called Lugar and Frist into the Oval Office himself and personally told them to take debt relief language out of the current AIDS bill. :mad: This will undermine future debt relief bills, and hurt Bush's own AIDS proposal since the countries we'd be sending money to would only be recycling it right back into the World Bank, IMF and other wealthy creditor.

In short, EMERGENCY!

Please call Frist and Lugar right now, today or tomorrow. The bill is going for mark up next week and we need Lugar espeically to stand firm (rumur on the Hill has it Frist has already caved).

When you call, please ask to speak with the aid on AIDS and/or debt. Tell them you want the debt relief language KEPT IN the AIDS bill.

Lugar (IN) is at 202) 224-4814 and Frist (TN) is at (202) 224-3344. If you're from their states, mentioning that is a real good idea too. :mac:

Happy calling Angels!

SD
 
Bush knows how to be an a$$ when he thinks people aren't looking...

Melon
 
Sherry Darling said:


When you call, please ask to speak with the aid on AIDS and/or debt. Tell them you want the debt relief language KEPT IN the AIDS bill.

Actually, it'll probably be the Legislative Assistant who handles foreign affairs in most offices. :wave: Unless you have a question, though, you can just give your message to the person who answers the phone, and we'll get it all the same.
 
I emailed Lugar earlier today... and I am from his state.
:mad: I really hope he stands up for this... but Indiana is chock full of Bushites... well.
Doesn't Dick Lugar mean "fat liar" in german?
 
I'm surprised it's even coming up at all. I've been watching CSPAN for a couple of days and the Republican won't allow anything on the floor except Estrada (not going to be appointed if I have my way). Is this in commitee? Bush is getting so much flack about the price of war of course he's going to cave somewhere.
He's exactly what a UK Parliament called him yesterdqay. "A bible-belt rightwing fundamentalist Republican ect" Can I add LYING BASTARD.
 
This is what I got from StopGlobalAids the other day concerning this: (it IS kinda long so...)

In response to requests from President Bush, Senator Frist (R-TN)
seems ready to dramatically scale back a key piece of legislation.
The bill that would authorize increased US spending on effective global AIDS, TB and malaria programs and mandate deeper debt relief.

The President is putting the screws on the Senate so that the bill
will be consistent with his own slower and US-dominated approach.
And, the President and Senator Frist want to see no mandates for deeper debt relief. Senator Lugar (R-IN) is under tremendous
pressure to go along with the White House and Senator Frist on this issue.

EMAILS AND CALLS ARE NEEDED NOW TO TURN THIS AROUND! WITH ENOUGH PRESSURE WE CAN HELP ENSURE ENOUGH FUNDS TO FIGHT AIDS GET TO NEEDY PROGRAMS FAST AND EFFICIENTLY. WE NEED A FAST AND EFFECTIVE FIGHT AGAINST AIDS AND WE NEED DEBT CANCELLATION ==> LIVES ARE IN THE BALANCE.

THE DETAILS:

President Bush wants AIDS legislation to be consistent with the AIDS Plan he presented during the State of the Union Address. The President presented a bold and compelling vision on the issue, including for treatment with generics. But, the fine-print of the plan shows that, unless it is fixed by Congress, the result will be a slow-paced, US-dominated program.

Less than 5% of the promised $10 billion in new spending for AIDS over the next five years is requested in the President's FY 2004 budget. And, Bush proposes a reduction from this year's contribution to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (from $350 million to $200 million), and favors instead programs that are fully controlled by the US. Out of loyalty to the President, key members of Congress may be persuaded to go along with the Bush approach.

To enforce his approach Bush is seeking changes in a key spending authorization bill. The bill in question passed the Senate unanimously last year (it was called the Kerry-Frist bill). Since it failed to pass the full Congress it has to be re-introduced and voted on, first in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The Committee may act on the bill next week.

Entitled "The US Leadership to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria Act", the bill would have authorized $2.5 billion in US spending in fiscal
year 2004, with $1.25 billion of that for the Global Fund to Fight
AIDS, TB and Malaria. That 50-50 split, with half for programs
sponsored solely by the US government and half for multilateral
programs like the Global Fund, showed a balanced approach to
fighting AIDS. Combined with another bill, it would also have
mandated the Bush Administration seek changes in international debt programs. It would have requited that that no recipient country would pay more than 10% of their government revenue on debt payments (and no more than 5% if the country is facing a health crisis).

Efforts have been made in the current Congress to schedule a mark-up of the bill in the Senate Foregn Relations Committee, where Senator Lugar is chair. But, action in the Committee came to a halt when Senator Frist recently shifted his support to the substitute version drafted by the White House. This version would strip out all specific funding levels for AIDS programs and remove all congressional oversight mechanisms. The overall funding level would be reduced to $2 billion, and there would be no designated funds for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (even though the Fund will soon run out of resources!). In addition, the critically important provisions in the bill for deeper debt cancellation for countries fighting AIDS and poverty would be completely removed.

Senator Frist has been a powerful voice advocating bold action on global AIDS -- We expect more from Senator Frist! Senator Lugar has also spoken out in favor of a strong US response to the epidemic -- so, we need Senator Lugar to stand up to White House pressure! The bill passed last year by the Senate was a good step forward -- why change the bill now just so it does not show up the President?!

As Senator Lugar said in December, "We must do much more on the African AIDS pandemic which is a humanitarian catastrophe and a serious economic and political crisis."

The NYC newspaper Newsday covered the cave-in by Senator Frist and Senator Lugar's reaction:

click on:
http://www.newsday.com/news/health/ny-usaids133129177feb13.story (copy/paste this link)

MORE ACTION IDEAS:

Let your own Senators know how you feel! Give their offices a call and ask them to contact Senator Lugar and Senator Frist!
Congressional switchboard: 202-224-3121
 
All Bush cares about is war. Everything else is details.

I'm glad people are calling in, and if I were a resident of the state in question, I would too. However, I fear it's all in vain. Bush doesn't care what the world thinks, that's what he's consistently shown for over 2 years.
 
Sherry,
I'm calling tomorrow, but like others has said, it was another scam. He wants the money for mainly faith based programs that propogate fundamental Christian beliefs. Just like 18th century missionary work - want food, then pray THIS WAY.

edited to add those last two words.
 
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Thanks for this response, guys. Yes, if you're in Indiana or Tennessee, we NEED you on the phone tomorrow.

Things might not be so bad if the debt relief stuff wasn't being taken out (assuming that it will be). I don't care if the money goes to US or international places, so long as it goes. International is better in that it sends a much friendlier message but that doesn't seem to be this administration's strong point. She says dimplomatically.

Anyway, thanks again and make. that. call!

SD
 
WE DID IT!

Nice work, Angels! This just in, hot off the presses from Jubilee. Santorum, Biden and Lugar, the Senators in question, stood firm and the debt langugage is STILL IN THE BILL!

:up: :yes: :angel: :hyper: :dance: :bow:

Thanks so much to everyone who called!

So happy to send along good news,
SD
 
Power to the people. Great work... Wish I had found this thread sooner... Not in these states, but hey the White House has gotten calls from me before. Along with my representatives and senators, for what thats worth... I really have hope that GWB will follow through on his promise.. I want to believe, afraid I'll have to see it first...Africa's very on :angel: 's
 
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Anytime Verte! :angel:

Sue, welcome! If you've made your call or written a letter and would like to be an Angel, just let me know (you can reply right here) and be sure to check out our cyberhome in my sig!

SD
 
Yes, there is still time. The debt language is back in the bill. Bug your Senators- today , tomorrow and wednesday.

The reason the debt relief part was added back in was because of the emails and calls.

YAY
 
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