Congress Must Renew, Improve Global AIDS Relief Program (Sen. Mike Enzi)

Sen. Mike Enzi is ranking member of the Senate Health Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

Five years ago we established the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS relief (PEPFAR) to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria across the globe.  This program has been very successful in preventing and treating AIDS all over the world.  Now, we have an opportunity to build and improve upon those efforts, and move from an emergency response plan to a sustainable program.  I am firmly committed to renewing and improving this program.

Today, the hope of people living in nations torn apart by AIDS is again centered on us, and their belief that we will renew our commitment to fight HIV/AIDS. We must increase our assistance to the people of these countries so that their children and their children’s children might be safe from these terrible diseases.

As we take another look at a program that has been so successful, we must maintain a high level of accountability and measurable results.  Any additional flexibility in this program must be met with corresponding accountability to make sure our tax dollars are spent wisely and efficiently, and our fight against global AIDS is successful.

Outreach programs that educate individuals about how to keep themselves HIV/AIDS-free have reached 61.5 million people.  We have provided specialized drugs for over 500,000 pregnant women to prevent them passing their HIV status along to their children.  We have provided live-saving treatments designed to resist viruses such as HIV for nearly 1.5 million men, women, and children.

To improve PEPFAR, Congress needs to pass legislation that will increase information-sharing and connections not only among those who are providing HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and treatment, but also between various AIDS programs and other key development programs.  The global AIDS program must keep its focus on HIV/AIDS.  However, it will be most successful if it is linked to programs that provide food, clean water, safe roads and transportation.