Political Quotes

“I rise to support H.R. 1298, the U.S. Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Act. This bipartisan bill would provide $15 billion over the next 5 years to combat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. The text of this bill now includes the language of H.R. 1298 as passed by the House, along with a Senate amendment to recommend that the Secretary of the Treasury negotiate deeper debt relief for poor countries, especially those suffering from public health crises. I have been working on the issues of global HIV/AIDS and debt relief for over 4 years, and I know how interrelated they are. Debt relief is desperately needed by poor countries trying to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic. These countries cannot afford to provide health care to their people or educate their people about HIV/AIDS prevention because of their debts. At least 18 heavily indebted poor countries are spending more money on debt payments than they are on health care. Debt relief will allow these countries to invest their resources in health, education, poverty reduction and HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention programs. Zambia provides an excellent illustration of why deeper debt relief is necessary.”