HIV/AIDS

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Committee Holds Hearing on Domestic HIV Epidemic

The Committee held a hearing titled, “The Domestic Epidemic is Worse than We Thought: A Wake-Up Call for HIV Prevention” on Tuesday, September 16, 2008, in 2154 Rayburn House Office Building.

Committee to Hold Hearing on HIV/AIDS

The Committee will hold a hearing in September to consider the implications of new HIV incidence numbers announced by the Centers for Disease Control.

Chairman Waxman's Statement on the New CDC HIV Incidence Numbers

Chairman Henry A. Waxman released the following statement today upon the release of new Centers for Disease Control (CDC) HIV incidence numbers.

Committee Holds Hearing Assessing the Evidence of Domestic Abstinence-Only Programs

The Committee held a hearing titled, “Domestic Abstinence-Only Programs: Assessing the Evidence” on Wednesday, April 23, 2008, in 2154 Rayburn House Office Building.

Members Urge Office of National Drug Control Policy to Support Needle Exchange Programs

In a letter to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, Chairman Waxman and Rep. Barbara Lee responded to Director John Walter’s unsupported assertion that needle exchange programs “support” injection drug use. The letter cites numerous studies that found needle exchange programs help reduce the spread of HIV and other dangerous infectious diseases without encouraging or increasing drug use, and in fact provide opportunities to reduce illegal drug use.

Chairman Waxman Requests Information on Expanded HIV Testing

Chairman Waxman asks CDC Director Gerberding and HRSA Director Duke to conduct additional analysis to answer questions about the impact of the expanded testing program on the demand for care and treatment of HIV. Chairman Waxman also asks Dr. Gerberding to explain CDC’s position on the role of prevention counseling provided in conjunction with testing.

CDC Updates Compendium of Effective HIV Prevention Techniques

In response to oversight by the Committee, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated the Compendium of HIV Prevention Interventions with newly identified effective programs.

Members Question the Effectiveness of Youth Abstinence Programs

Today Chairman Waxman, Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Tom Lantos, and Congresswoman Barbara Lee reiterated their concern about the implementation of youth abstinence programs in the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). They requested detailed information about how the Administration intends to monitor the implementation of its policies and a description of all planned evaluations of the effectiveness of abstinence programs.

Reps. Waxman, Lantos, Payne, and Lee Ask for Fair Guidelines for AIDS Funding Recipients

The Administration is expected to issue new guidance regarding an anti-prostitution pledge requirement for recipients of U.S. global AIDS funding in the near future. Reps. Waxman, Lantos, Payne, and Lee write to Secretary Leavitt and USAID Acting Administrator Fore urging both agencies to issue guidelines that respect the constitutional rights and the public health responsibilities of all recipient organizations.

Chairmen Waxman and Lantos and Rep. Lee Request Response to Evaluation of Youth Abstinence Programs

A recently completed evaluation of U.S.-funded "abstinence and be faithful" HIV prevention programs for youth, commissioned by the Bush Administration, finds that many fail to serve the needs of young people who are or may become sexually active. Oversight Committee Chairman Henry A. Waxman, Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Tom Lantos, and Congresswoman Barbara Lee write to U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator Mark Dybul to ask how his office will respond to the evaluation's findings and recommendations.

Rep. Waxman Questions DOJ’s Reversal on Anti-Prostitution Pledges

A letter recently obtained by Chairman Waxman reveals that in 2003, the Justice Department advised Congress that an anti-prostitution pledge requirement in the anti-trafficking bill then under consideration raised "serious First Amendment concerns" and should be struck from the bill. Chairman Waxman reiterates his concerns about the constitutionality and public health effects of this provision in the global AIDS and anti-trafficking LAWS, and asks for a full explanation of DOJ's reversal in opinion.

Chairman Waxman Requests Information About New HIV Testing Guidelines

Last fall the Centers for Disease Control released new guidelines for HIV testing that suggest expanded routine testing in healthcare settings. The goal is to reach the 25% of HIV-positive Americans who do not know their status. Since then, concerns have been raised about the resources available to implement the plan; treatment and care resources for those who may test positive; and changes to prevention counseling for people who test negative. Chairman Waxman writes to CDC Director Julie Gerberding to request analyses of these issues and details about the implementation of the new guidelines to date.

Waxman Requests Drug Purchase Information

Chairman Waxman requests detailed information about drug purchases in the President's Global AIDS Program.

Rep. Waxman Presses for Explanation of CDC’s Failure to Update HIV Compendium

Rep. Waxman sends follow up letters to HHS and CDC regarding CDC’s inadequate response to his query about the HIV Compendium. The Compendium, a key compilation of evidence-based prevention measures, has not been updated since its 1999 release, although government experts have identified multiple new proven programs.

Rep. Waxman Requests Update to HIV Compendium

Rep. Waxman writes to CDC Director Gerberding to ask why in seven years the agency has failed to update a crucial document identifying HIV prevention programs that have been shown to reduce risk behaviors and HIV transmission.

GAO Report Reveals Serious Shortcoming in U.S. Approach to Global AIDS Crisis

Rep. Waxman calls for changes to the requirement that one-third of AIDS prevention funds be spent on abstinence programs, citing a new GAO report finding that this requirement and the Administration's overbroad implementation are impeding efforts to stop the global AIDS epidemic.

The Bush Administration Is Undermining International Needle Exchange Efforts

Reps. Waxman and Cummings write to Secretary of State Rice expressing concern that the Administration has presented “a distorted picture of the science” to European Union officials on the effectiveness of needle-exchange program in reducing the spread of AIDS.

Democrats Protest Ideological Campaign Against HIV/AIDS Prevention Grantees

In a letter to the Secretary of State, Rep. Waxman, Sen. Durbin, and other leading Democrats object to certain conservative politicians' ideologically-driven efforts to defund HIV/AIDS prevention grantees in the developing world.

Roberts Should Be Questioned on AIDS Advice

Rep. Waxman asks Sens. Specter and Leahy to question Supreme Court Nominee John G. Roberts about his role advising President Reagan not to provide the best scientific information to the public during a time of fear and panic over whether children with AIDS should go to school.

Rep. Waxman Asks Rice to Support Evidence-based Needle Exchange

In a letter to Secretary Rice, Rep. Waxman asks her to stop efforts to remove references to needle exchange programs from an important UN document on HIV prevention.

Needle Exchange Programs Widely Endorsed by Scientific and Medical Organizations

Rep. Waxman wrote to ONDCP Director John Walters providing a wide range of scientific and medical expert opinions supporting needle exhange programs to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

President Urged to Reject Pledge Requirements in HIV/AIDS Funding

Rep. Waxman asks the President to direct federal agencies not to condition the receipt of global AIDS or anti-trafficking funds by U.S.-based organizations on the signing of a pledge condemning prostitution.

Chairmen Davis and Souder Mischaracterize Report's Position on Needle Exchange

In letters to Secretary of State Rice and USAID Administrator Natsios, Reps. Waxman and Cummings clarify the International Narcotics Control Board's position on the efficacy of needle exchange programs. Chairmen Davis and Souder had mischaracterized the report in previous correspondence.

AIDS Grant Awarded for "Non-Suitable" Proposal

A politically well connected organization that promotes abstinence education has received a major federal grant under the President’s AIDS program despite its proposal having been rated “not suitable for funding” by an independent review panel.

President Urged to Assure Purchase of Safe and Effective Generic Drugs

Citing a new GAO report, Sen. Kennedy and Rep. Waxman urge the President not to squander the historic opportunity to use inexpensive, safe, and effective drugs to fight the epidemic in the developing world.

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