In Africa, nearly 30 million people have the AIDS virus, including 3 million children under the age of 15.  In certain countries, roughly one-third of the adult population is infected with HIV.  By 2010, certain estimates suggest that there will be up to 40 million orphans in Africa because of this horrible disease.  In Uganda, through a combination of drugs, education, and debt relief, the trends have been reversed.  Our involvement is making a difference.

In an effort to stem this global crisis, President Bush has proposed the Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.  This plan will prevent 7 million new AIDS infections, treat at least 2 million people with life-extending drugs, and provide humane care for millions of people suffering from AIDS, as well as children orphaned by this disease.  The President's request of $15 billion over a five-year span will provide the necessary funds to achieve these goals.

President Bush has made clear that this funding will bring about a comprehensive system to fight the AIDS virus, which in turn will help stabilize Africa, both politically and economically.  As Congress debates authorization of this proposal, I look forward to working closely with Senator Bill Frist who has been a leader in educating the public about this crisis.

America is better to its own citizens than any country in the world and rightly so.  However, if we ignore this global problem, we are no better than the rest.  This pandemic cries out for the world's help and the United States is the leading country in the world.