ENZI SAYS CONGRESS MUST RENEW, IMPROVE GLOBAL AIDS RELIEF PROGRAM

Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP Committee), today saidthat he is committed to renewing and improving the President’s Emergency Plan forAIDS relief (PEPFAR) to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria across the globe. “Five years ago we established a program that has been very successfulpreventing and treating AIDS all over the world,” Enzi said, at today’s HELP Committeehearing titled “Meeting the Global Challenge of AIDS, TB, and Malaria.” “Now, wehave an opportunity to build and improve upon those efforts, and move from anemergency response plan to a sustainable program.” “Today, the hope of people living in nations torn apart by AIDS is again centeredon us, and their belief that we will renew our commitment to fight HIV/AIDS. We mustincrease our assistance to the people of these countries so that their children and theirchildren’s children might be safe from these terrible diseases,” he added, while calling forincreased accountability in PEPFAR programs. “As we take another look at a program that has been so successful, we mustmaintain a high level of accountability and measurable results,” Enzi said. “Anyadditional flexibility in this program must be met with corresponding accountability tomake sure our tax dollars are spent wisely and efficiently, and our fight against globalAIDS is successful.” Enzi emphad PEPFAR’s numerous successes since its enactment: “Outreachprograms that educate individuals about how to keep themselves HIV/AIDS-free havereached 61.5 million people. We have provided specialized drugs for over 500,000pregnant women to prevent them passing their HIV status along to their children. Wehave provided live-saving treatments designed to resist viruses such as HIV for nearly 1.5million men, women, and children.” Enzi said that to improve PEPFAR, Congress needs to pass legislation that willincrease information-sharing and connections not only among those who are providingHIV/AIDS prevention, care, and treatment, but also between various AIDS programs andother key development programs. “The global AIDS program must keep its focus on HIV/AIDS. However, it willbe most successful if it is linked to programs that provide food, clean water, safe roadsand transportation.”