Nancy Pelosi: “I contend and maintain that to cut these funds will increase the deficit. Our colleagues have pointed out that the…”

“I contend and maintain that to cut these funds will increase the deficit. Our colleagues have pointed out that the reason we found this situation... is to enable the private sector, the nonprofit sector, to minister to the needs of those with HIV and AIDS to prevent them from becoming homeless. Stress on the immune system is the worst possible thing you can do. Homelessness increases stress. So this enables the continuum of services to be provided to people with HIV and AIDS; it keeps them out of hospitals, it eliminates the necessity for them to have other kinds of assistance, including income support. I think if our goal is to reduce the deficit, we can do so by restoring these funds. Mr. Chairman, it is also a compassionate thing to do.”