Press Release
| Save A Life. Support Our Mission. |
+ Founder's Message
+ Code of Ethics
+ Strategic Vision
+ Privacy Policy
+ Press Releases
+ AIDS Memorial
+ Calendar of Events
+ Code of Ethics
+ Strategic Vision
+ Privacy Policy
+ Press Releases
+ AIDS Memorial
+ Calendar of Events
Copyright 2008. The Friends of AIDS Foundation. All Rights Reserved.
| CLICK HERE |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
For Immediate Release
December 11th, 2006
Contact: Anthony Bongiorno
Phone: 310.401.4755
December 11th, 2006
Contact: Anthony Bongiorno
Phone: 310.401.4755
CONGRESS PASSES RYAN WHITE REAUTHORIZATION DESTABILIZING FUNDING CUTS AVERTED
FOR STATES WITHOUT LONGSTANDING NAME REPORTING
In the last hours of the congressional session, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the
Ryan White HIV/AIDS reauthorization bill by a voice vote on December 9, 2006. President George
W. Bush signed the three-year reauthorization act into law on December 19, 2006.
“This welcome news for people living with HIV/AIDS in California and much of the country,” said
The Friends of AIDS Foundation (FOA) President & Founder Anthony Bongiorno. “Our thanks go to
the congressional delegation for championing the inclusion of code-based HIV data in the
distribution of CARE Act funds. Without this critical provision, California would have faced a
devastating loss next year in federal funding for HIV/AIDS care and treatment services.”
The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Act provides life-sustaining care and support services to an
estimated 500,00 HIV positive people in the U.S. Who have no other means of affording needed
HIV-related services. The program was last reauthorized in 2000.
Passage of the bill is the culmination of more than two years of extensive negotiations led by a
bipartisan House and Senate working group. On December 5, the Senate voted unanimously to
pass the bill, which was amended to ensure that formula funding awards would not fall below
95% of 2006 award amounts. The compromise also calls for a repeal of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS
Treatment Act after three years, instead of the traditional five year reauthorization.
“We still have a lot of work ahead of us,” said Bongiorno. “Funding must be increased immediately
to adequately address the epidemic in areas with longstanding as well as emerging HIV/AIDS
crises. A three year compromise will give Congress and the HIV/AIDS advocacy community
additional time to craft a more equitable care and treatment program.”
As part of several bills passed last week, Congress passed another continuing resolution to
extend FY06 funding for several months, requiring the newly convened Congress to finalize annual
funding amounts in early February.
“While FOA endorsed passage of this bill, there are provisions that remain problematic. One
example is the unfunded mandate requiring CDC to use $30 million in already allocated HIV
prevention funds as grants to expand opt-out HIV testing,” said Bongiorno. “Because there are no
new appropriations to support this mandate, CDC will need to further erode existing and already
significantly under-funded state and local HIV prevention programs.”
The fate of the Ryan White Act became embroiled last week in a political crossfire that involved
legislation to reauthorize the National Institutes of Health (NIH), funding for state children's health
insurance programs, and an anti-terrorism bill. Disagreements among several powerful
lawmakers, including House Energy and Commerce Chairman Joe Barton (R-TX), Senate Health,
Education, Labor and Pensions Chairman Michael Enzi (R-WY), and Senator Edward M. Kennedy
(D-MA) threatened to stall the Ryan White Bill in the House unless Enzi and Kennedy agreed to
move Barton's controversial NIH reauthorization bill in the Senate. Senate Democrats made
passage of the NIH Bill contingent upon increased funding for the the children's health insurance
program.
HIV/AIDS advocates from California and across the country flooded the offices of President Bush,
House Speaker Dennis Hastert, and House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) with calls to
end the stalemate and reauthorize the Ryan White Bill immediately. After several days of tense
negotiations, lawmakers finally reached a compromise in the early hours of Saturday, December 9.
“Committed HIV/AIDS advocates from across California and the U.S. made sure Congress
understood the importance of finalizing Ryan White reauthorization this year,” said Bongiorno. “We
are grateful for the thousands of Americans who truly made a difference with their calls and saved
us from a certain care and treatment crisis.”
About The Friends of AIDS Foundation
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for individuals infected
with HIV/AIDS and committed to preventing the future spread of this disease. FOA programs and
services utilize the harm reduction philosophy, which provides the necessary information, options
and support, so that individuals can make healthy choices and prevent the transmission of HIV.
At The Friends of AIDS Foundation, we strive to eradicate HIV/AIDS by creating awareness,
delivering the crucial message: HIV DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE, and helping individuals create the
social change that is necessary to end this epidemic.
FOR STATES WITHOUT LONGSTANDING NAME REPORTING
In the last hours of the congressional session, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the
Ryan White HIV/AIDS reauthorization bill by a voice vote on December 9, 2006. President George
W. Bush signed the three-year reauthorization act into law on December 19, 2006.
“This welcome news for people living with HIV/AIDS in California and much of the country,” said
The Friends of AIDS Foundation (FOA) President & Founder Anthony Bongiorno. “Our thanks go to
the congressional delegation for championing the inclusion of code-based HIV data in the
distribution of CARE Act funds. Without this critical provision, California would have faced a
devastating loss next year in federal funding for HIV/AIDS care and treatment services.”
The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Act provides life-sustaining care and support services to an
estimated 500,00 HIV positive people in the U.S. Who have no other means of affording needed
HIV-related services. The program was last reauthorized in 2000.
Passage of the bill is the culmination of more than two years of extensive negotiations led by a
bipartisan House and Senate working group. On December 5, the Senate voted unanimously to
pass the bill, which was amended to ensure that formula funding awards would not fall below
95% of 2006 award amounts. The compromise also calls for a repeal of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS
Treatment Act after three years, instead of the traditional five year reauthorization.
“We still have a lot of work ahead of us,” said Bongiorno. “Funding must be increased immediately
to adequately address the epidemic in areas with longstanding as well as emerging HIV/AIDS
crises. A three year compromise will give Congress and the HIV/AIDS advocacy community
additional time to craft a more equitable care and treatment program.”
As part of several bills passed last week, Congress passed another continuing resolution to
extend FY06 funding for several months, requiring the newly convened Congress to finalize annual
funding amounts in early February.
“While FOA endorsed passage of this bill, there are provisions that remain problematic. One
example is the unfunded mandate requiring CDC to use $30 million in already allocated HIV
prevention funds as grants to expand opt-out HIV testing,” said Bongiorno. “Because there are no
new appropriations to support this mandate, CDC will need to further erode existing and already
significantly under-funded state and local HIV prevention programs.”
The fate of the Ryan White Act became embroiled last week in a political crossfire that involved
legislation to reauthorize the National Institutes of Health (NIH), funding for state children's health
insurance programs, and an anti-terrorism bill. Disagreements among several powerful
lawmakers, including House Energy and Commerce Chairman Joe Barton (R-TX), Senate Health,
Education, Labor and Pensions Chairman Michael Enzi (R-WY), and Senator Edward M. Kennedy
(D-MA) threatened to stall the Ryan White Bill in the House unless Enzi and Kennedy agreed to
move Barton's controversial NIH reauthorization bill in the Senate. Senate Democrats made
passage of the NIH Bill contingent upon increased funding for the the children's health insurance
program.
HIV/AIDS advocates from California and across the country flooded the offices of President Bush,
House Speaker Dennis Hastert, and House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) with calls to
end the stalemate and reauthorize the Ryan White Bill immediately. After several days of tense
negotiations, lawmakers finally reached a compromise in the early hours of Saturday, December 9.
“Committed HIV/AIDS advocates from across California and the U.S. made sure Congress
understood the importance of finalizing Ryan White reauthorization this year,” said Bongiorno. “We
are grateful for the thousands of Americans who truly made a difference with their calls and saved
us from a certain care and treatment crisis.”
About The Friends of AIDS Foundation
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for individuals infected
with HIV/AIDS and committed to preventing the future spread of this disease. FOA programs and
services utilize the harm reduction philosophy, which provides the necessary information, options
and support, so that individuals can make healthy choices and prevent the transmission of HIV.
At The Friends of AIDS Foundation, we strive to eradicate HIV/AIDS by creating awareness,
delivering the crucial message: HIV DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE, and helping individuals create the
social change that is necessary to end this epidemic.
