THIS SEARCH     THIS DOCUMENT     THIS CR ISSUE     GO TO
Next Hit        Forward           Next Document     New CR Search
Prev Hit        Back              Prev Document     HomePage
Hit List        Best Sections     Daily Digest      Help
                Doc Contents
FOREIGN OPERATIONS, EXPORT FINANCING, AND RELATED PROGRAMS APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2001 -- (House of Representatives - July 12, 2000)

   It is distressing what is happening in the world with this pandemic, particularly when we have found interventions that work--interventions that can reduce HIV incidence by up to 80%.

   Yet, we have not seen any systematic action to reduce the global spread of HIV/AIDS beca use all too often we have been short-sighted and refused to take action outside of our borders to help ease the suffering and loss of life which is taking place with respect to this pandemic in Africa and throughout the world.

   This isolationists' mentality must stop. If America is to remain a global leader we ought to act like one and take the lead on helping to reduce the global spread of HIV/AIDS.

   On this issue, we can't claim the high horse, and then take the low road.

   More than ever, we need to unite with the nations of the world and exert our leadership in responding to the destruction to society that has been wrought by HIV.

   Here at home, and throughout the world, the consequences of HIV/AIDS are clear, HIV affects more people than it infects. It makes 

[Page: H5935]  GPO's PDF
families poor as they try to meet the costs of health care and funerals: they become poorer as they cope with the loss of income following the death of a breadwinner.

   Miami-Dade County, Florida has the third highest incidence of HIV/AIDS case s in the United States. With 24,000 reported AIDS case s, Miami-Dade County has more cases than all but four states. A disproportionate number of these cases tend to be comprised of racial or ethnic minorities.

   With strong prevention initiatives, we have helped slow the rate of new HIV infections in the U.S. And, we have made widely available new medications and treatment to those who are infected.

   As a world leader, we have a responsibility to help other nations reduce infections and treat those who are ill, and to act locally and globally toward a cure for this dreaded disease.

   The CHAIRMAN. Does the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. CALLAHAN) seek to claim the time in opposition?

   Mr. CALLAHAN. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time and I reserve the balance of my time.

   Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. DAVIS).

   (Mr. DAVIS of Illinois asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

   Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this time. We have heard the information. We understand the ravages of this tremendous disease running rampant throughout the continent. And so we know what action is needed. We know that we need resources. We know that we need to add additional money so that there can be health education information, so that there can be medicine and supplies, and so that individuals who are greatly in need of assistance can receive it. I simply want to commend the gentlewoman for this amendment, pledge undying, unstinting support for it, and urge all Members of this House to vote in favor of the Lee amendment.

    

[Time: 23:00]

   Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. LOWEY).

   (Mrs. LOWEY asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

   Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of this amendment which would make a critical investment in combatting HIV-AIDS arou nd the world. When one looks at the numbers, it is astonishing. More than 16.3 million people across the globe have died of AIDS. Mor e than 33.6 million are currently living with the disease. Over the course of the year, approximately 5.6 million more people will become infected with AIDS. >   This is a pandemic of immense proportions, and if we hold back on investing and finding solutions to the world's AIDS cris is now, there will be consequences, both domestically and internationally later on.

   The AIDS cris is has disproportionately affected the developing world. Sub-Saharan Africa has been particularly hard hit. Already 13.7 million Africans have died of HIV-AIDS, lea ving behind social and economic devastation that will affect the nature and pace of African development for years to come.

   AIDS is h urting Africa. It is crippling Africa's viab ility as a destination for business. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

   Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. MILLENDER-MCDONALD).

   Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Chairman, today I rise in strong support of the amendment of my colleague and friend, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. LEE), and I urge everyone to support this amendment, because it is really a moral issue that we are talking about tonight.

   The devastation caused by this pandemic has been most severe in sub-Saharan Africa wher e over 23 million people are infected with HIV, and nearly 14 million Africans have already died from AIDS. Thi s is indeed, my friends, a moral issue, and we have an obligation and a responsibility to heed the warning here.

   The funding, $42 million, is not a cure-all for HIV-AIDS, but it is an urgent and necessary step in the right direction. This AIDS epid emic has also drastically decreased life expectancy in Africa, and I urge everyone within the sound of my voice to know that our children are being left as orphans because of the death of their parents.

   I urge Members to support the Lee amendment.

   Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 1/2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON).

   Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, let me thank the gentlewoman for presenting this amendment.

   Mr. Chairman, I hope we are listening. I really do hope that we are not going to close our eyes and turn our ears off and ignore this problem. Let us try to listen to this one more time. A total of 5.4 million people globally became newly infected with HIV in 1999. A total of 34.3 million people globally are living with HIV-AIDS. >   We cannot sit here and allow this to happen without some kind of intervention. There have been a total of 18.8 million global AIDS-rela ted deaths since the beginning of this epidemic. A total of 13.2 million children globally have become orphaned since the AIDS epid emic. There are 34.3 million adults and children living with AIDS in t he world.

   We have to act now. This is an emergency. Experience shows that the right approach, applied quickly enough with courage and resolve, can and does result in lower HIV infection rates and less suffering for those affected by this epidemic. An ever-growing AIDS epid emic is not inevitable; yet unless action against this epidemic is scaled up drastically, the damage is going to be done.

   We have got to act now. We have got to eradicate this ugly disease. The time is now. It is urgent. Support my colleague's amendment.

   Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 1/2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. WAXMAN).

   Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Chairman, I support this amendment. As the only major power in the world and one that takes its moral responsibilities seriously, this is a small step, but one we must take. I also supported the Waters debt-relief amendment for the very same reason.

   I found it offensive that the manager of this bill would suggest that the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. BACHUS), or anyone else, was anti-Israel for supporting debt relief. I think that was factually incorrect, and this deficient foreign aid bill makes me think now it was designed in a way to try to drive wedges between people and divide us; and that should have no place on issues as serious as AIDS and debt relief.

   Mr. Chairman, I am going to vote for the Waters amendment, and I am going to vote for the Lee amendment; and I am very seriously thinking that this bill ought to be defeated.

   Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. MEEKS).

   Mr. MEEKS of New York. Mr. Chairman, I wonder, where is this compassion we often hear talked about? Compassion. You know, where I come from, they have this saying; they say that talk is cheap. Put your money where your mouth is.

   When we talk about HIV-AIDS, we can talk about it and talk about how bad it is and talk about how awful it is, but you know what? That talk means nothing.

   We need to put our money where our mouth is. Until we do that, we are doing nothing but whistling Dixie. It is time for us to reverse that, to understand that this world is much smaller than it was just 10 years ago. If you do not believe it, let us not put our money where our mouths are. You think the epidemic is over there; but you know what, there is a boomerang, and what goes around will come around.

   Mr. CALLAHAN. Mr. Chairman, I continue to reserve my point of order.

   Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 1/2 minutes to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Mrs. CLAYTON).

   (Mrs. CLAYTON asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

   Mrs. CLAYTON. Mr. Chairman, the Lee amendment deserves our enthusiastic support. This amendment provides $42 million for our effort against AIDS abro ad. We can be thankful, Mr. Chairman, that many people in America today are living longer and more comfortable lives with AIDS. Not so in Africa. We can be grateful that the life expectancy of a person in the United 

[Page: H5936]  GPO's PDF
States afflicted by AIDS has increased significantly since this Nation began paying attention to this disease some 20 years ago. Not so in Africa. >   AIDS has lowered the life expectancy in some places in Africa almo st 20 years in just the last 10 years. In America, the number of new AIDS case s in recent years has declined, or at least has leveled off. Not so in Africa. In Africa, in some places, up to 35 percent of all adults are inflicted by the HIV-AIDS. The survival rate of women and children affected by AIDS in t he United States is steadily increasing. Not so in Africa. >   In some parts of Africa, hal f of all the pregnant women are infected, and 15 percent of the children have been left as orphans due to AIDS. Dru g therapy in response to AIDS is a lmost $20,000 annually. There is no money to pay. In fact, they commit less than $10.
  • [Begin Insert]

   Every day, in Africa, mor e than 5,000 people die from AIDS--18 million lives have been lost to AIDS in A frica, in recent years.

   AIDS in A frica, Mr. Chairman, has been declared to be a threat to this Nation's national security. AIDS in A frica unde rmines efforts to extend democracy. AIDS in A frica cont ributes to political instability and encourages civil wars. AIDS in A frica puts American citizens at risk who may be there for business, military, diplomatic or other purposes. AIDS in A frica is a menace to America.

   In recent years, the introduction of newer and more effective therapies, on the whole, has led to dramatic reductions in mortality and morbidity and an increase in the number of people living with HIV/AIDS. Thi s progress has been due, in large part, to the fact that funding in the United States for research, prevention, care and treatment has multiplied, from a few hundred thousand dollars twenty years ago to $6 billion in the fiscal year.

   In Africa, fun ding programs for the prevention and research for AIDS and HIV have fallen far short. The Lee amendment, in a very modest way, seeks to bring some balance to that imbalance.

   Mr. Chairman, unfortunately, there is no vaccine or medication that will cure AIDS. Yet , as the Washington Post indicated today, there is hope due to a new tests. And, we know that through intervention, we can, and we have, caused effective prevention of the spread of AIDS.

   By preventing the spread of AIDS, we have reduced the demand for care services. And, consequently, we have reduce the costs associated with AIDS.

   We are making progress in America. Not so in Africa. Sup port the Lee amendment. The women, the children, the people of Africa are worthy of our support.

  • [End Insert]

    

[Time: 23:10]

   Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Los Angeles, California (Ms. WATERS).

   Ms. WATERS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment. I am amazed that we have spent so much time on the Africa Trad e bill talking about how we want to be involved with trade in Africa. In South Africa, we have spent years getting rid of apartheid. We have worked hard to make sure that we give democracy a chance in Africa. >   But what good is all of this if, in fact, we do not recognize that HIV/AIDS is d evastating Africa? I j ust spoke with the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. PAYNE) who just returned from Botswana; a beautiful infrastructure is that country. However, they are about to be wiped out because of the way that AIDS is r avaging that small country.

   The same thing is true in South Africa. Wha t good does it do to have done all of that work to talk about getting rid of an apartheid government, to have a new opportunity here for housing and for health and for all of those things that we have fought for for so many years, when we have AIDS run amok.

   This country cannot, cannot in good faith talk about wanting to have a relationship with Africa and South Africa, whi ch it has embraced and all of these other nations, and ignore the fact that AIDS is r avishing this continent.

   Mr. Chairman, I would ask everyone to support this amendment. This is a very mild amendment. As a matter of fact, the amount of dollars that are being asked for is insignificant, almost. So I cannot understand why anyone would be opposed to supporting this amendment. I believe there is $42 million in this amendment. We are spending more money than that on giveaways, practically, in the budget, throughout the budget of the United States.

   So I would ask my colleagues, please, please allow us to leave this floor this evening with some renewed faith in our ability to have just a little bit of a conscience as it relates to the continent.

   Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from northern California (Ms. PELOSI).

   Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this time and for her extraordinary leadership on this global AIDS issu e.

   Mr. Chairman, as my colleagues know, this past week the world's leading experts on HIV/AIDS gath ered in Durbin, South Africa for the 13th International HIV/AIDS Conf erence. The participants shared their knowledge and attempted to find solutions to the challenges of prevention, affordable treatment, and eventually a cure for HIV/AIDS. We must do our part in this country to respond to what has truly become a global crisis.

   Mr. Chairman, when those experts met in Durbin, South Africa, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. LEE) was there, and she is here tonight, less than 36 hours since her arrival in this country; she is here tonight leading the way. The world is finally waking up to the scope and seriousness of the HIV/AIDS prob lem, as more resources are devoted to expanding the infrastructure to fight the disease. It would be a serious blow if the United States did not live up to its commitments at this time. Again, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. LEE) is here to lead the way in that regard.

   Mr. Chairman, in addition to commending my colleague, I want to introduce into the RECORD a USAID report project which projects a dramatic increase in AIDS orph ans. Over the next 10 years, there will be more than 30 million orphans because their parents will die of AIDS. Thi s represents a dramatic increase.

   How many more parents have to die? How many more children have to become orphaned? Many of those children, HIV-infected themselves. How many more children will have to die before we wake up to an appropriate, appropriate response to AIDS? >   This increase that the gentlewoman is proposing brings what is in the bill up to the President's request of $244 million. Frankly, it is the least we can do. It is certainly not enough, but it is a good start for us. USAID will use these additional funds for education, prevention and interventions to reduce mother-to-child transmissions. Funding will be used to aid countries to establish their own HIV interventions.

   I commend the gentlewoman for her leadership and I urge my colleagues to support her amendment.

   USAID Report Projects Dramatic Increase in AIDS Orph ans

   DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA. --The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) today released the executive summary of Children on the Brink 2000, a study of AIDS orph ans across the globe. The study finds that by 2010, at least 44 million children will have lost one or both parents to all causes in the 34 countries most severely affected by the AIDS pand emic.

   Of these 44 million orphans, 68 percent of their parents will die of AIDS. Thi s represents a dramatic increase from 1990, when AIDS acco unted for 16.4 percent of parental deaths. Orphans are distributed among world areas in the same patterns as HIV-prevalence, so that countries with the highest infection levels usually have the highest orphan rates.

   The orphan crisis is most acute in sub-Saharan Africa. In at least eight countries in this region, between 20 and 35 percent of children under 15 have lost one or both parents. By 2010, 11 countries will reach this rate.

   Children on the Brink 2000 finds that with few exceptions the number of children being orphaned will accelerate through at least 2010. In many countries, the proportion of orphaned children will remain exceptionally high until 2020 or 2030.

   One country studied was Zambia. Children on the Brink 2000 finds that in Zambia, currently 27.4 percent, or 1.2 million children, who are under age 15, are orphans. Chronic malnutrition is widespread. Orphan caregivers are predominantly poor women. Children in these households are significantly more disadvantaged than children in two-parent families, largely because women have less access to property and employment. Female-headed households are larger and poorer than male-headed households in all regions.

   The executive summary of Children on the Brink 2000 was released at a USAID press conference at the XIII International AIDS Conf erence in Durban, South Africa.

   Since 1986, USAID has dedicated over $1.4 billion dollars for the prevention and mitigation of this epidemic in the developing world. USAID's HIV/AIDS budg et of $200 million for 2000 is four times as great as the 

[Page: H5937]  GPO's PDF
next-largest donor's budget. USAID is working in 46 of the hardest hit countries around the world. Nearly 70 percent of USAID's HIV/AIDS prog ram assistance goes to small non-governmental organizations that have direct connections to the poorest of the poor and those most vulnerable to infection. 

THIS SEARCH     THIS DOCUMENT     THIS CR ISSUE     GO TO
Next Hit        Forward           Next Document     New CR Search
Prev Hit        Back              Prev Document     HomePage
Hit List        Best Sections     Daily Digest      Help
                Doc Contents