It’s always refreshing to see when good deeds don’t go unnoticed. When President Bush presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom – the nation’s highest civil honor – to a number of individuals just this morning, PEPFAR was the name of the game.

The Medal of Freedom was awarded to the late Rep. Tom Lantos (D-Calif.). His wife, Mrs. Annette Lantos, received the award on his behalf. By many standards, Rep. Lantos’ stature as chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee was enough to make him a hero. This was a man who escaped a forced labor camp in World War II, emigrated to the United States and, after a career as a professor, earned his place as an esteemed member of the House of Representatives.

But Rep. Lantos didn’t stop there. Throughout his entire life, Mr. Lantos strove to extend the qualities of justice and equality throughout the world. He championed PEPFAR, working to make it a program that would be “sustainable for generations to come.” As chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Lantos shaped and pushed legislation that has provided treatment for 1.4 million people. Even more, PEPFAR has provided care for AIDS orphans, prevented new treatments and made significant progress to treat and prevent new infections of malaria and tuberculosis.

President Bush also bestowed the award to invaluable PEPFAR contributor, Anthony S. Fauci. Dr. Fauci was appointed by President Bush to join a team that would transform the dream of PEPFAR into a living, breathing program. Dr. Fauci brought his expertise as head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAD) to the drawing table, creating a plan for care and prevention of HIV in developing nations, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean.

Also honored with the Medal of Freedom: Dr. Benjamin S. Carson; retired Marine Gen. Peter Pace, formerly chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; former Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala; and lawyer Laurence H. Silberman.

Awards like the Medal of Freedom are an excellent opportunity to look back on progress made thus far when it comes to extreme poverty and preventable disease. However, we still have a long way to go and, right now, PEPFAR is endangered. Click here to sign the petition and ask the leaders of the U.S. Senate to push for a vote on this very important legislation.

-Chandler Smith