Bill Aims to Eradicate TB, Malaria, & HIV/AIDS
Washington, D.C. – Representative Heath Shuler today joined with an overwhelming
bipartisan majority of the U.S. House to pass historic legislation to fight deadly diseases
around the globe. The Lantos-Hyde U.S. Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS,
Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization, H.R. 5501, was approved by a vote of 308-
116.
Today’s legislation was to reauthorize the U.S. Leadership Against HIV/AIDS,
Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act (PL 108-25), which was implemented on a bipartisan basis
in 2003. That original legislation authorized $15 billion over five years has been
remarkably successful, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Due to the original legislation,
sub-Saharan Africa saw 1.5 million people with AIDS receive life-savings medication
and programs to prevent the spread of the HIV infection successfully promoted.
“America has a moral responsibility to help developing nations fight these deadly
diseases. I am very pleased that Democrats and Republicans joined together to
reauthorize this important program and to save countless lives,” Rep. Shuler said.
The Lantos-Hyde U.S. Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria
Reauthorization Act authorizes $50 billion, and it will allow the U.S. to create strategies
to transition from emergency phase programs to long-term sustainable programs that can
be maintained by the host countries.
Within the next five years, the bill also aims to train 140,000 new health care workers;
prevent 12 million new HIV infections; provide life-saving drugs for 3 million people
with AIDS; and provide medical and nonmedical care for 12 million people, including 5
million orphans.
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Download: Rep. Shuler Supports Historic Commitment to Save Lives & Fight Global Diseases