KENNEDY INTRODUCES AIDS, TB AND MALARIA LEGISLATION

WASHINGTON, DC— Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, introduced the United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act. The bipartisan legislation moves the program beyond the emergency phase of implementation into the sustainability phase, providing $50 billion in funding over the next five years, dramatically boosting aid programs for women and children, strengthening health systems in countries struggling to deal with AIDS, TB and malaria, authorizes programs to include food and nutrition linkages, and increases U.S. contributions to the Global Fund. It also ends the program implementation requirements that had limited the flexibility that countries needed to combat the health challenges they face. "The greatness of our nation can be measured in part by our determination to use American innovation for the betterment of humanity. The bipartisan legislation we introduce today renews and strengthens America's commitment to the millions of people throughout the world who face the challenges of AIDS, TB and malaria with strength, dignity, and an unshakeable Determination to prevail. This legislation declares unambiguously that America will stand with them and join them in this struggle. It puts into legislation the commitment by President Bush on his recent trip to Africa. It is a privilege to join my Senate colleagues - leaders in health and foreign relations from both sides of the aisle - in urging Congress to take early action to approve this urgently needed measure."

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