Political Quotes

“my colleagues on the Committee on International Relations recently introduced H.R. 1298, the United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis Act. The bill is a 5-year, $15 billion bill providing $3 billion in relief in each of these 5 years. It provides no minimum for U.S. contributions to the Global Fund and authorizes a maximum of $1 billion for fiscal year 2004 and such sums as necessary in the ensuing 4 years. The bill provides the limitation that ``no U.S. contribution to the Global Fund may cause a total amount of U.S. Government contributions to exceed 33 percent of the total amount of funds contributed to the Global Fund from all other sources.'' This encourages other countries to step up to the plate also and other philanthropists around the world. This bill is a start. It is the fist step in a long and difficult journey we must take in the effort to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. Sixty-five million people have been infected with HIV since the epidemic began, 65 million people; and 25 million of them have died. Fourteen million children have been orphaned. The numbers are not only staggering; they are devastating, and they are growing. I am glad to see this bill authorizes up to $1 billion next year for the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria; but we need to offer more.…”