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Disappointing Draft Legislation Flat Funds
HIV Prevention at CDC
Despite Sharp Increases in New Infections
New York, NY — Congress has proposed flat funding for HIV prevention efforts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as per the released text from the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee for the fiscal year 2009 (FY 2009) omnibus appropriations bill. This legislation will fund programs for the remainder of the federal fiscal year (until September 2009). This comes just one week after the release of the 2007 CDC surveillance report that showed a 9% increase in new HIV/AIDS diagnoses from 2006 to 2007, including a 19% increase in infections among gay and bisexual men.
While gay and bisexual men comprise two to three percent of the U.S. population, they were 57% of new HIV diagnoses in 2006. This means gay and bisexual men are 20-30 times more likely to become infected with HIV. Additionally, women of color continue to experience striking racial disparities. The CDC surveillance report showed that in 2006, the estimated number of female HIV infections in 50 states was 15,000, and African-American and Latina women comprised 75% of those cases. For more on the CDC surveillance report: click here.
"It is disappointing for Congress to flat fund HIV prevention efforts at this time," said Marjorie J. Hill, PhD, Chief Executive Officer at Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC). "Recent CDC reports indicate that the domestic epidemic is worse than previously estimated. Racial minorities and gay men, especially gay men of color, are disproportionately becoming HIV-positive. Under the Bush-Cheney Administration, funding for HIV prevention at the CDC dropped 19% in real dollars. We were hopeful that the new congressional leadership would deliver more support for programs that work. We urge Congress to improve this draft budget by providing the funding CDC requested to meet the current HIV prevention needs," added Hill.
Last fall then CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding told the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee that CDC needed twice its current level of funding in order to bring down the number of new HIV infections each year. The FY 2009 omnibus bill also includes a $14.3 million cut for anti-gay, sexist and inaccurate abstinence-only-until-marriage programs, but not a complete elimination as GMHC has advocated for years. Also included are modest increases in funding for HIV treatment via the Ryan White CARE Act, the Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS (HOPWA) program, and a one billion dollar increase for the National Institutes of Health. Additionally, the legislation directs $1.4million to the Office of National AIDS Policy to support the development of a national AIDS strategy. GMHC continues to advocate for a national AIDS strategy and has helped coordinate national organizing efforts to ensure its implementation.
"We commend the House of Representatives for increases to HIV care and research, and for including the $1.4million appropriation to the White House Office of National AIDS Policy to fund the development of a national AIDS strategy for the first time since the epidemic began," Hill said.
For access to the full FY 2009 omnibus bill, click here.
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Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC) is a not-for-profit, volunteer-supported and community-based organization committed to national leadership in the fight against AIDS. We provide prevention and care services to more than 15,000 men, women and families that are living with, or affected by, HIV/AIDS in New York City, and advocate for scientific, evidence-based public health solutions for hundreds of thousands worldwide.
Our Mission: GMHC fights to end the AIDS epidemic and uplift the lives of all affected.
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