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ONE applauds robust funding for AIDS programs in SFOPS bill

WASHINGTON — The ONE Campaign enthusiastically welcomed the House Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs’ markup of its FY20 appropriations bill, which maintains the United States’ historic one-third commitment — $1.56 billion — to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, and protects many of the life-saving development accounts that President Trump sought to cut in his FY20 proposed budget.

Tom Hart, North America executive director at The ONE Campaign:

“Today’s vote sends a strong signal to the world: America is committed to ending the AIDS crisis and you should be too. The United States’ historic one-third commitment to the Global Fund has helped save millions of lives from preventable disease. It is vital we maintain strong funding to fight this disease. Together with full funding from other donors, we can help save 16 million more lives by 2023.

“ONE thanks the State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee for their strong leadership and commitment to maintaining support for critical programs that help the world’s most vulnerable. As the appropriations process unfolds, ONE looks forward to working with lawmakers from both parties in both chambers to ensure that the United States’ one-third commitment to the Global Fund is maintained and America’s life-saving development programs are fully funded.”

Global AIDS Programs:

This year, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, one of the most effective global health organizations on the planet, will hold its 2019 replenishment. In order to meet its replenishment goals, the United States needs to commit to providing $1.56 billion in funding for FY20. The President has proposed only funding at a level of $1.1 billion. This falls far short of what is needed and proposes a reduction in funding at exactly the wrong time.

Traditionally, the United States has contributed $1 to the Global Fund for every $2 contributed by other donors, and that steadfast commitment has incentivized billions of dollars in investments from others that would not have otherwise been made. President Trump’s budget dilutes this historic position by calling for a 1:3 match, which would undermine the replenishment goal and weaken pressure on other donors.

Moreover, President Trump’s budget includes a 22% cut for PEPFAR. These massive cuts to global AIDS programs came just weeks after President Trump announced at the State of the Union that we would “defeat AIDS in America and beyond.”

For more information, or to speak with an expert about the legislation, contact Sean Simons at [email protected].