By: Congressman John R. Carter
Published: 04-07-08
What do a rock star and the Congressman from Central Texas have in common? Trust me I was asking myself that same question on my way to meet with Bono lead singer of the rock group U2 and founder of the One Campaign established to eliminate poverty and global disease. Our common ground wasn’t that hard to find. We both agree that America is a blessed nation and we believe it is our moral obligation to help those that cannot help themselves.
During the State of the Union address President Bush called on Congress to reauthorize the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and double our historic commitment with an additional $30 billion over the next five years.
The statistics of the HIV/AIDS crisis are truly alarming. This pandemic kills an estimated six million people every year. According to the Joint United Nations program on HIV/AIDS an estimated 33.2 million people were living with HIV/AIDS in 2007. Of these more than two million were children and some 330000 of the 2.1 million that died in 2007 were under the age of 15.
Nearly 90 percent of all children infected with HIV reside in sub-Saharan Africa which is home to 2.2 million of the estimated 2.5 million children living with HIV worldwide. Each day in 2007 approximately 1000 children worldwide became newly infected with HIV due in large part to little access to treatment that prevents the transmission of HIV from mother to child.
Equally startling if current rates of infection continue to rise we could begin to see new epicenters for the disease arise out of India China and Eastern Europe with numbers that could surpass Africa in just a few years.
The HIV/AIDS pandemic poses a real threat to our national security. If not addressed this plague will continue to weaken nations throughout the third world crippling countries and economies leaving them vulnerable to extreme violence.
This is truly a global crisis and because the United States can provide timely assistance I believe we have a moral responsibility to do so.
This week Congress voted to authorize billions of dollars for the president’s global AIDS initiative a program started in 2003 that has been successful for millions around the world suffering from AIDS or are at risk of contacting the HIV virus. Originally I had concerns about another foreign aid program but after seeing these funds produce such large success I knew they were worthwhile.
According to the Congressional Research Service through September 30 2007 the president’s global AIDS initiative has supported anti-retroviral treatment for approximately 1.4 million people; prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission services for women during more than 10 million pregnancies and an estimated 152000 infant infections; care for nearly 6.7 million people including more than 2.7 million orphans and children; and counseling and testing services for over 30 million people.
Not only does this plan address the crisis by providing medicine and health benefits to those infected but also addresses the crisis at its core. The bill passed by Congress is consistent with our values and will maintain a continued focus on HIV/AIDS treatment care and prevention goals including meaningful funding resources for evidence-based programs that teach abstinence. We cannot send billions of dollars to Africa without initiating programs that will help prevent the transmission of this disease by changing behavior.
I believe that it is possible to be both fiscally responsible and be obedient to our moral calling. History is filled with great moments of mankind’s enduring compassion to help those in need. Now it is Congress’ turn to put politics aside and do something truly great to help those humans who desperately need America to step in and help them survive.
