| WASHINGTON,
D.C. – Continuing her efforts to make affordable HIV/AIDS drugs available
worldwide, U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) said today that the
passage of the World Bank AIDS Marshall Plan is a “small drop in a very
big bucket.”
The
bill, approved by the House Banking Committee, would create a worldwide
trust fund that is administered by the World Bank and funded by governments,
the private sector, and international organizations. Nations would
be eligible to receive grants to address the HIV/AIDS crisis.
The
Banking Committee approved a Schakowsky amendment by voice vote.
The amendment expands the objectives of the trust fund to include affordable
HIV/AIDS prevention, education, treatment and affordable drugs.
In
addition, the Banking Committee approved an amendment by Representative
Maxine Waters (D-CA) that increased the U.S. contribution to the trust
fund. The amendment authorizes the U.S. to contribute $200 million
a year for the next five years.
“This
is a small drop in a very big bucket. We must do much more to seriously
address the HIV/AIDS epidemic that is killing millions of people worldwide.
The U.S. must lead the way. It is in our own best interest because
HIV/AIDS has no borders and it threatens the stability of the world even
more than conventional warfare,” Schakowsky said. |
