Action by House Foreign Affairs Committee Underlines U.S. Commitment to the World’s Children

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 28, 2008

WASHINGTON - In a fitting tribute to the late Chairmen Tom Lantos (D-CA) and Henry Hyde (R-IL), a bipartisan agreement was reached yesterday by the House Foreign Affairs Committee on H.R. 5501, The Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act.

The Committee authorized $50 billion to support programs dealing with the three diseases, including approximately $40 billion for AIDS programs and $9 billion for TB and malaria programs.

The legislation directs 10 percent of AIDS funding to assist orphans and vulnerable children (OVC), amounting to approximately $4 billion over five years. If approved by Congress, signed into law, and fully funded, the bill will increase U.S. support for millions of children in poor countries orphaned and made vulnerable by AIDS.

"This is not only a step forward in significantly increasing the number of orphans and vulnerable children with access to the health care, education, food, and nutrition, but also an investment in the future," stated Jennifer Delaney, Executive Director of Global Action for Children, a nonpartisan coalition working to increase funds and improve policies to help orphans and vulnerable children.

"We applaud the U.S. Global Leadership against HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008, and look forward to working with policymakers to ensure the bill is signed into law, fully funded, and provisions are in place that maximize funding to best serve orphans and vulnerable children."

UNAIDS estimates that, by 2010, 20 million children will have lost one or both parents to AIDS alone, while millions more will be made vulnerable by the disease.

"We thank Acting Committee Chairman Howard Berman (D-CA), Ranking Republican Member Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA), their dedicated staff, as well as the entire committee, for their leadership in coming together to help the millions of people, including children, impacted by AIDS, TB, and malaria," Delaney continued.

"In the United States, ‘PEPFAR’ is probably not a term most people hear every day, but around the world, this program has become one of our best ambassadors. People in developing countries, particularly in Africa, know that it means ‘life-saving help.’ When passed and funded, PEPFAR will enable the United States to save more lives around the world."

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Global Action for Children is a nonpartisan, results-oriented coalition dedicated to advocating for orphans and vulnerable children in the developing world.

Read Global Action for Children’s "Platform for the World’s Children."

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