Yesterday, two amendments which would have limited the scope of PEPFAR Re authorization were overwhelmingly defeated.
The first, sponsored by Senator DeMint would have limited the countries to which PEPFAR assistance could be distributed:
The Senate voted, 70-24, to table, or kill, the amendment from Jim DeMint , R-S.C., to limit the five-year, $50 billion bill to 15 poor countries where it already operates.
The second, sponsored by Senator Bunning, was defeated even more resoundingly:
Sen. Jim Bunning’s (R-Ky.) amendment to reauthorize the program for five years at $15 billion also failed by a vote of 16-80.
Senators Sam Brownback, and Hillary Clinton were among the Senate champions taking the floor yesterday in support of PEPFAR reauthorization and in opposition to the failed amendments. Senators Joe Biden and Dick Lugar have been shepherding the bill through the Senate.
The $50 billion PEPFAR re-authorization bill keeps the core intent of the universally acclaimed President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and expands the amount of funding and breadth of distribution. By providing over 2.1 Million with life-saving retroviral treatment, PEPFAR has been responsible for giving an entire generation a second chance at life, and saved millions of children from the challenges of living without parents.
ONE members nationwide have been calling in to their Senators’ offices in overwhelming numbers to declare their support of PEPFAR Re authorization at the $50 billion level and to declare their opposition to any proceedural measures which could derail this critical, life-saving bill.
No one can be certain about how any bill will fare in the US Senate, but if yesterday’s proceedings are an indication there’s good reason to be optimistic.
Click here, to register your phone calls and keep up the pressure. Things look promising, but there’s a long way to go.
Janette Coil and I, members of the KC Metro ONE group, delivered hundreds of letters on behalf of constituents all across Kansas urging our Senators, Pat Roberts and Sam Brownback, to sign onto a letter drafted by Senators Richard Lugar (R-IN) and John Sununu (R-NH). This drafted letter asks the Senate leadership to schedule a vote on PEPFAR reauthorization as soon as possible. Neither Senator was in their office when we stopped by to drop off the letters; however, I am hopeful that the shear number of letters will make it clear that Kansans want PEPFAR renewed promptly to continue life saving aid to the extreme poor in Africa.
On Monday night, Sen. Brownback gave a speech at Boston University called “Africa, Al Qaeda, and US Security: How Better US – Africa Relations Benefits US Security Interests”. I attended the speech with Erin Saif, of ONE Boston and many, many BU ONE members.
Although the title of the speech was long, I thought that Sen. Brownback summed it up by saying that the world is about to enter, “The African Moment”. Sen. Brownback talked about his travels to Africa and US efforts to fight HIV/AIDS and Malaria. He spoke about the Millennium Challenge Corporation and how important it was for the US to invest in Africa not only because it was the right humanitarian thing to do, but because it also benefits our nation and respects the values of our own country.
Sen. Brownback stressed the importance of global trade and talked about ways to encourage the markets to help find new and better drugs that will address neglected diseases that are killers in the developing world. He also talked about how easy it is to eradicate malaria with drugs, bed nets, and pesticides saying that Africans are very capable, but simply need the resources to do it.
It was an amazing speech that highlighted ONE’s issues and efforts, he even spoke of meeting with Bono and urged everyone to go to Africa and get involved in one way or another and try to travel to Africa.
After the speech, Sen. Brownback made a quick exit from the lecture hall but Erin Saif was able to chase him down, with a ONE band in hand, and explain that she was a member of the ONE Campaign. Sen. Brownback instantly recognized ONE and gave her a hug. He then said that he would take a few pictures with ONE members from BU before he left.
Live from Durham, NH, ONE’s Marine caught up with Sen. Brownback after an event at the University of New Hampshire. They discussed US efforts in the developing world and the importance of the Millennium Challenge Corporation – a new U.S. effort that will help impoverished countries that are taking steps to fight corruption and show good governance by rewarding them with targeted US grants.
On Tuesday, ONE staff and volunteers attended a presidential candidate educational forum at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
At the forum, Senator Brownback talked about his vision for improving education so that America can compete in the world’s market. He acknowledged the work ONE is doing in promoting the Education For All Act and fighting global poverty.
He looked in the center of the room where we were sitting and he said “there are organizations out there that are leading the way to get us where we should be, and ONE is definitely an organization that I am proud to support.”
After the event, Senator Brownback walked towards us, shook hands and thanked me for the work ONE is doing. Before posing for the picture, he asked where I was originally from. I told him that I was born and raised in Rwanda, and he continued saying that he visited Rwanda and Congo this year and saw with his own eyes the work that needs to be done.
The Iowa ONE team headed up to Ames in the early morning on the 11th for one of the biggest Republican sponsored events of the year. The Ames Straw Poll is an all day event that brings together Republican presidential campaigns and the states most active voters face to face. The ONE campaign was a major sponsor of the event and had a booth alongside the presidential campaigns outside of Hilton Coliseum on the Iowa State University Campus. Throughout the day country music artist Rockie Lynne performed on behalf of ONE and talked to the crowd about the importance of the campaign.
ONE members had many interesting conversations with people who had done work through their church in places as diverse as western Africa or Brazil. One theme continually came up, while we champion countries that improve their economies those living in poverty are often forgotten.
Tens of thousands were on hand for the event but that didn’t stop Senator Sam Brownback from stopping by the ONE booth. He gave us a strong endorsement and talked about how helping people living in poverty is a moral issue for America. The senator gave us our first video clip which can be seen on YouTube.
Presidential candidate Mitt Romney also stopped by and thanked the volunteers for their hard work and dozens of campaign staff and volunteers came by to get bands, tote bags and water bottles.
The event was one of our most successful so far as we signed up almost 700 new supporters and educated thousands more.
Yesterday we met with Senator Brownback at the Sticky Fingers Restaurant in Mount Pleasant, SC, before the senator spoke at a press conference.
He said that he is a continuous supporter of ONE. He also said that he has been involved with the fight against AIDS and global hunger. We thanked him for his support and his efforts. In addition to meeting several ONE members in the crowd, members of his staff said they were fans of the ONE Campaign.
This was the second time today that South Carolina ONE members met with Senator Brownback. Earlier in the day we spoke to him at an open forum in West Columbia.
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Yesterday, two amendments which would have limited the scope of PEPFAR Re authorization were overwhelmingly defeated. 
