The U.S. Senate majority leader, Democrat Harry Reid of Nevada, has set a June 24 deadline for reauthorization of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which has provided antiretroviral treatment to some 1.5 million people living with HIV/AIDS in the developing world, the Associated Press reports (ap.google.com, 6/19).
According to the article, the PEPFAR reauthorization bill—which would triple funding for HIV treatment and prevention to $50 billion over the next five years—has faced conservative opposition since the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved it in March. Opponents say the bill supports prevention programs such as family planning, male circumcision and condom distribution.
However, both presumed presidential nominees, Senators Barack Obama (D) and John McCain (R), are cosponsoring the bill.
“Today an estimated 40 million people around the world are living with HIV/AIDS, with over 4 million new infections in 2006 alone,” Obama said recently. “I urge my colleagues to bring this important bill to the Senate floor for a vote as soon as possible.”
NEW! Scroll down to comment on this story.
Please click OK to confirm your comment and confirm you accept our posting rules. Note your message will be reviewed by our staff before going live.
"I'm HIV positive and diabetic (as well as have high cholesterol) and some of my meds specify taking them with 'high fat foods' which I have to do twice a day. I've eaten as healthy as possible, but when it comes to high fat foods, I am in a quandary...about what to eat sometimes..."
