“Passing the World Bank AIDS Marshall Plan is an important step.  However, it is only a small step in a long journey to combat a disease that is killing millions, creating tens of millions of orphans, and threatening worldwide stability,” said Schakowsky, who is a member of the House Banking Committee.

The bill, approved by the House Banking Committee last month, 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 U.S. would contribute $100 million a year for the next five years to the trust fund. 

The Banking Committee had approved a Schakowsky amendment by voice vote during committee debate last month.  The amendment expands the objectives of the trust fund to include affordable HIV/AIDS prevention, education, treatment and affordable drugs.  Schakowsky’s amendment was included in the bill approved by the full House today.

In Congress, Schakowsky is actively  promoting access to affordable AIDS drugs for Sub-Saharan African nations and other countries faced with the AIDS epidemic.  Since taking office, she has been in close contact with Administration officials on this issue.  Schakowsky recently joined the Vice President at an unprecedented meeting of the United Nations Security Council on AIDS.  This was the first time that the Security Council considered a health epidemic as a worldwide security question.