Washington, DC – Responding to recent press reports describing determined U.S. opposition to a further round of grants from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, Congresswoman Barbara Lee along with seven of her colleagues sent the following letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson, who also serves as Chairman of the Global Fund Board:

 Dear Secretary Thompson:

 We write to you in advance of the Global Fund’s board meeting in Tanzania this week, to raise our serious concern with recent reports in the press regarding plans by the U.S. delegation to push for a delay in calling for the Fund’s fifth round of grant proposals.  We believe very strongly that the Global Fund’s mission to attract, manage and disburse additional resources to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria will be severely undermined if the Fund moves to delay the fifth round of funding for grant proposals, or moves to reduce the frequency of future funding rounds.

 Since its establishment, the Global Fund has successfully raised the visibility of its mission, while also dramatizing the magnitude of the global need to combat these three epidemics through the sheer number and dollar figure of grant requests that it has received.  In doing so, the Global Fund has generated new funding by identifying programs with the capacity to respond to these epidemics, and by providing oversight through its own tight system of accountability.

 We believe that by delaying calls for new funding proposals, the Global Fund will undermine one of the strongest rationales it has for soliciting new funds, particularly now as Congress is close to finalizing our contribution for fiscal year 2005.  Delaying the fifth round will also set a bad precedent for the Fund, because it will signal a lack of international commitments and consequently will reduce confidence in the Fund itself.  Therefore, we urge you to ensure that the Global Fund follows through on its original intent to hold the fifth funding round as previously planned.

 On behalf of communities affected by AIDS, TB and malaria, we thank you for your continued leadership and we look forward to your reply.

 Representatives Jim Leach (R-IA), Tom Lantos (D-CA), Jim McDermott (D-WA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Donna Christian-Christensen (D-VI), and Steny Hoyer (D-MD) joined Lee in signing onto the letter.

 

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