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Senator Santorum Criticizes Senate Democrats’ Obstruction of Critical Funding for AIDS Patients across Pennsylvania
September 27, 2006
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA), Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, today issued the following statement regarding Senate Democrats who are blocking passage of the Ryan White CARE Act Reauthorization:
“It is unthinkable that some Senate Democrats are blocking passage of this vitally important legislation that would provide needed medical care for AIDS patients living in Pennsylvania. By objecting to this legislation, funding is being blocked for individuals who so desperately need care. The Ryan White Care Act became law in 1990 to provide critical funding to state and local programs for AIDS patients. The legislation now being blocked by some Senate Democrats would provide $4.5 million in additional funding for Pennsylvania including $2.7 million for Philadelphia. If the Ryan White Reauthorization bill does not pass before the end of this month, Pennsylvania will lose $9.25 million, which is simply unacceptable. This funding – and people’s lives – are too important to be playing political games. I hope that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle will realize how important this funding is to the millions of Americans living with HIV and AIDS and come forward to support this legislation.”
The Ryan White CARE Act Reauthorization (S. 2823) legislation was favorably voted out of the Senate HELP Committee in May.
Throughout his tenure in the U.S. Senate, Senator Santorum has worked in a bipartisan fashion to provide funding for those suffering from HIV/AIDS. Earlier this year, Senator Santorum successfully worked to increase the United States’ contribution to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria to $866 million in fiscal year 2007.
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