Major cuts to federal spending—including HIV/AIDS funding—could begin March 1 unless Congress and President Obama find another option, ABC News reports. The cuts would be part of what is known as sequestration, which Congress agreed to in 2011. About $380 million would be cut from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Other related cuts include: 424,000 fewer HIV tests; 7,400 fewer people receiving HIV medications through the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP); and 7,300 fewer households receiving assistance through the Housing Opportunity for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program. The sequester was to take effect in January, but both sides agreed to delay it for two months for further negotiations. In order to bring down the deficit, automatic across-the-board cuts of more than $1 trillion to both mandatory and discretionary federal spending will take place unless an alternative plan is passed to accomplish the same goal.

To read the article, click here.