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Bush to Boost AIDS Funding, but not Enough for Some
By Adam Entous
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush plans to propose $2.7 billion in his fiscal 2005 budget for AIDS initiatives, disappointing some activists who had hoped for a bigger commitment, people involved in the deliberations said on Tuesday.
White House budget officials declined to comment on the AIDS figure. They said no final decisions had been made on next year's budget, which is expected to be sent to Congress on Feb. 2 and limit the growth of discretionary programs to between 3 and 4 percent, excluding spending on defense and homeland security.
A surprise priority in last year's State of the Union address, Bush pledged $15 billion to help combat HIV/AIDS in Africa and the Caribbean -- effectively tripling U.S. spending over five years.
He touted the initiative during a July visit to Africa, where almost 30 million people live with the disease, including 3 million children under the age of 15.
At $2.7 billion, the 2005 budget request would top the $2.4 billion expected to be approved by Congress for the current fiscal year. The White House had sought closer to $2 billion -- prompting "a good old row" between the president and Irish rock star Bono, who founded an advocacy group for issues affecting Africa.
Some AIDS activists accused the president of not living up to his State of the Union commitment. They hoped for at least $3 billion in Bush's 2005 budget and said Congress had authorized up to $3.6 billion.
Democratic presidential hopeful Howard Dean has pledged $30 billion -- twice as much as Bush -- for the fight against AIDS by 2008.
White House aides said Bush held back his support for providing $3 billion a year because of concerns a system was not yet in place to use the money effectively.
"President Bush made the largest single upfront commitment in history for an international health initiative involving a specific disease and his budgets are going to continue to reflect that commitment," an administration official said.
The United States already faces record budget deficits expected to top $500 billion this fiscal year alone.
Activists said more money was needed now to fight AIDS.
"In the face of that kind of an emergency, we've got to front-load the funding to respond. It is not something that we should be scaling up slowly. I don't think it ($2.7 billion) is an adequate response," said Joanne Carter, legislative director of RESULTS, a grass-roots health advocacy organization.
Bush's AIDS initiative calls for providing anti-viral treatment to HIV people in Africa and the Caribbean who cannot afford it. It would also help children who have lost one or both parents and work toward prevention with programs aimed at sexual abstinence, education and promotion of condom use.
By Adam Entous
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush plans to propose $2.7 billion in his fiscal 2005 budget for AIDS initiatives, disappointing some activists who had hoped for a bigger commitment, people involved in the deliberations said on Tuesday.
White House budget officials declined to comment on the AIDS figure. They said no final decisions had been made on next year's budget, which is expected to be sent to Congress on Feb. 2 and limit the growth of discretionary programs to between 3 and 4 percent, excluding spending on defense and homeland security.
A surprise priority in last year's State of the Union address, Bush pledged $15 billion to help combat HIV/AIDS in Africa and the Caribbean -- effectively tripling U.S. spending over five years.
He touted the initiative during a July visit to Africa, where almost 30 million people live with the disease, including 3 million children under the age of 15.
At $2.7 billion, the 2005 budget request would top the $2.4 billion expected to be approved by Congress for the current fiscal year. The White House had sought closer to $2 billion -- prompting "a good old row" between the president and Irish rock star Bono, who founded an advocacy group for issues affecting Africa.
Some AIDS activists accused the president of not living up to his State of the Union commitment. They hoped for at least $3 billion in Bush's 2005 budget and said Congress had authorized up to $3.6 billion.
Democratic presidential hopeful Howard Dean has pledged $30 billion -- twice as much as Bush -- for the fight against AIDS by 2008.
White House aides said Bush held back his support for providing $3 billion a year because of concerns a system was not yet in place to use the money effectively.
"President Bush made the largest single upfront commitment in history for an international health initiative involving a specific disease and his budgets are going to continue to reflect that commitment," an administration official said.
The United States already faces record budget deficits expected to top $500 billion this fiscal year alone.
Activists said more money was needed now to fight AIDS.
"In the face of that kind of an emergency, we've got to front-load the funding to respond. It is not something that we should be scaling up slowly. I don't think it ($2.7 billion) is an adequate response," said Joanne Carter, legislative director of RESULTS, a grass-roots health advocacy organization.
Bush's AIDS initiative calls for providing anti-viral treatment to HIV people in Africa and the Caribbean who cannot afford it. It would also help children who have lost one or both parents and work toward prevention with programs aimed at sexual abstinence, education and promotion of condom use.
Yeshh, good! go 4 it! I am happy bono pushed so hard to have that money releast sooner rather then later!!
