Washington, DC - The House of Representatives today passed by a voice vote H.R. 2069, The Global Access to HIV/AIDS Prevention, Awareness, Education, and Treatment Act of 2001, which increases bi-lateral and multi-lateral funding for international HIV/AIDS programs.

HR. 2069 passed out of the House International Relations Committee in July, and comprised the Hyde-Lantos-Leach-Lee Amendment offered as a substitute to H.R. 2069, a bill offered by Chairman of the House International Relations Committee Chairman Henry Hyde (R-IL) to increase bi-lateral HIV/AIDS funding.

Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) led negotiations with Chairman Hyde to increase overall bi-lateral funding in the bill from $469 to $535 million, including $50 million for a drug procurement pilot program. It dropped a provision that limited the United States= per year contribution to an international trust fund at 25% of the total contribution from other donor nations and set multi-lateral funding at $750 million.

AThis is a great victory in our fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. HIV can be prevented and AIDS is a manageable disease,@ said Lee. AWe must do all we can to eradicate both from the face of the earth and this a great step in the right direction. However, the U.S. must continue its commitment to this fight by providing more resources.@

In November, more than 85 Members of the House of Representatives sent a bipartisan letter to President Bush calling for the United States to provide $1 billion in emergency funds to combat the global scourges of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria for this fiscal year.

AWe have the means to prevent the spread of HIV, we have the means to treat AIDS patients and we know that we must continue our work in vaccine development,@ said Lee. AThe United States must commit $1 billion to the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.@

AThis is the greatest humanitarian crisis of our time. It is not a Republican or Democratic issue, but a moral issue that threatens the entire human family,@ said Lee. AThe U.S. contribution to the international trust fund must be increased, and I will continue to work for more funding.@

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Congresswoman Lee is Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Task Force on Global HIV/AIDS and serves on the Africa and Europe Subcommittees of the House International Relations Committee.