More than two months ago, the House passed groundbreaking legislation – the Global AIDS Act -- to renew our nation's commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis around the world. The bill commits an unprecedented $50 billion to the fight against these deadly pandemics, which together kill more than one million people annually. Not only is this funding level far beyond the $15 billion the U.S. spent over the past five years, but the legislation was carefully crafted by a bipartisan coalition – with the input of hundreds of outside expert groups – in order to make our nation's response to disease more effective and better targeted to the needs of local communities.
Tragically – because every day counts – this bipartisan bill is stalled in the Senate because seven Senators have put a procedural roadblock (called a "hold") in its way. Leaders from both parties in the Senate are working on an agreement to lift the hold and move the bill to the floor, but your voice is needed to show strong public support for this bill and the urgency behind its passage.
Why is passage so urgent? The Senate has very few working days left this year because of the elections this fall. Every day of delay sends a message to those suffering from deadly disease around the world that politics is hindering America's response. Over the past five years, our nation's efforts have saved at least 1.4 million lives; provided care for more than 6.6 million people suffering from AIDS, including 2.7 million orphans and vulnerable children; and brought counseling and testing to more than 33 million people, including 10 million pregnant women. These results would grow exponentially under the new bill, and with tens of thousands of people dying and becoming infected each day, there is no time to spare.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Click here to send a message to your two Senators asking them to support an agreement to bring the Global AIDS bill (S. 2731) to the floor immediately.
