PEPFAR Movement

Late Tuesday night, bipartisan cooperation in the House Foreign Affairs Committee moved us one critical step closer to approving the 5-year expansion of the “President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief” or “PEPFAR.”

The legislation they passed yesterday, “The Lantos-Hyde US Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, TB, Malaria Act” would transition PEPFAR from an emergency response to a sustainable response program, and provide for expanded training for 140,000 new health care professionals and community care workers. The bill also strongly focuses on prevention and includes comprehensive efforts that place a special emphasis on women and on the underlying factors which make them vulnerable to HIV infection, including a focus on violence against women.

In all, the U.S. would provide lifesaving treatment for at least three million AIDS patients; prevent 12 million new infections; provide care for five million AIDS orphans; and train and support 140,000 new health professionals. The bill also provides $4 billion for the treatment and prevention of tuberculosis and $5 billion to fight malaria.

Although the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s action this week marks a critical momentum shift for PEPFAR’s reauthorization, the full House must continue to uphold this commitment to bipartisanship and pass the the bill (protecting all provisions) during a House floor vote.

-Virginia Simmons

Three Times the Charm with Rep. Ros-Lehtinen

On Tuesday, members of the ONE Miami group visited Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Miami office for the third time this year.

Ed Cooke from the United Nations Association got us the appointment and national Jubilee USA organizer Brian Swarts led the meeting. We were joined by Dr. Bradford Brown of the NAACP and Steve Forester, a Senior Policy Advocate for Fanm Ayisyen Nan Miyami (Haitian Women of Miami) and my fellow ONE member, Mary Sarah Agliotta.

We went to the congresswoman’s office to advocate primarily for the Jubilee Act but also for House Resolution 241, legislation to relieve the debt incurred by Haiti, the most poverty-stricken nation in the Western Hemisphere. Brian spoke of the importance of debt relief, the 40-day fast of Rev. Duncombe and the great evil of vulture funds.

Ed Cooke spoke of the importance of fulfilling our commitment to the Millennium Development Goals, and the new Trick or Treat for UNICEF program being revived. Steve Forester was our man for H.R. 241, as he has advocated for Haiti for nearly 30 years.

Dr. Brown, who has advocated for civil rights for 43 years, represented the NAACP’s support for Jubilee and H.R. 241.

I spoke of ONE’s gratitude for the congresswoman’s sponsorship of the GROWTH Act, our support for the Jubilee Act and pressed for co-sponsorship of the Global Child Survival Act. We spoke with her very well-prepared aide, Mr. Ariel Fernandez, who graciously agreed to pass our information along to the congresswoman and her full Foreign Affairs committee.

We are hopeful for results.

-Alexandra Gordon, ONE Miami

Miami Lobbying II

On September 7, ONE Campaign Miami made its second visit of the year to Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen’s office.

Daniel Pedreira, her Congressional Aide, received us graciously and was genuinely interested in hearing about ONE. After introductions, Adam explained ONE and our fight against extreme poverty and treatable disease. Adam, Alix, Hannibal and Michael each described the legislation we are supporting, including the GROWTH Act, Global Child Survival, the Education for All Act, and the Jubilee Act, and we asked for the Congresswoman’s help in getting this crucial legislation to the floor for votes.

Gail, from our local partner organization RESULTS came along and provided terrific reinforcement on the Global Child Survival Act. She also brought news that big increase in TB funding had passed Congress the night before.

We discussed the Millennium Development Goals and arranged to email the 2007 UN and DATA Reports on the status of extreme poverty in the world to the congresswoman’s aid Daniel Pedreira. Coincidentally, there was a great article that day about Save the Children, Bill Frist and ONE in the New York Times that I sent along too.

After our last visit, Rep. Ros-Lehtinen agreed to sponsor the GROWTH Act. We are hopeful for good results from this meeting as well.

-Alix Gordon - ONEmiami