Health GAP Coalition Thursday, May 9 ACTION ALERT

PLEASE ACTIVATE ALL NETWORKS TO CALL SECRETARY POWELL TODAY AND TOMORROW (5/10 ‚ 5/11)

Telephone: 202-647-5291 FAX: 202-647-2283
Email: Secretary@state.gov

(please call or fax in addition to email if you are in the United States)

The more time I spend on this, the worse it gets.

Colin Powell, Senate Testimony on AIDS in Africa, March 2001

Bush, Powell to Undermine UN AIDS Fund: Shameful Announcement Friday at White House

After flat-funding Ryan White, Administration then puts less than drop into bucket towards global AIDS fight.

Bush and Powell are failing people with AIDS in the United States and around the world.

Secretary of State Powell is preparing to go to Africa at the end of May "to highlight US concerns over the AIDS pandemic."

But first, he will join President Bush and HHS Secretary Thompson in the White House Rose Garden Friday afternoon to announce the shameful proposal for a mere $200 million supplemental budget request towards the new UN AIDS trust fund ‚ a fund which seeks 7 ‚ 10 BILLION dollars to confront the escalating global AIDS crisis.

$200 million is less than 1% of the proposed $1.35 trillion tax cut that will largely benefit the richest citizens of the richest nation in the world. It¼s a fraction of the $40 billion defense allocation for faulty Osprey helicopters.

It sends a message to other wealthy nations that this UN trust fund ‚ and the lives it could save -- are not worth the investment.

The United States is failing people with AIDS worldwide ‚ people who will die without funds for treatment and care.

Powell has consistently said that he cares deeply about the escalating African AIDS crisis. Yet, recent announcements and foot-dragging throughout the Bush Administration indicate that he, his boss and other leaders are not addressing this crisis with meaningful funds, policies, or standards. Underfunding of the UN initiative is a shameful indictment of the Administration.

CALL COLIN POWELL TO DEMAND REAL FUNDS TO FIGHT GLOBAL AIDS

Telephone: 202-647-5291
FAX: 202-647-2283

Call / Fax Secretary of State Colin Powells TODAY AND TOMMOROW (Thursday, May 10 and Friday, May 11) to demand immediate action. Powell must:

• Publicly demand a $2 Billion US contribution to the UN fund at Friday¼s press conference
• Require allocations to have equivalent support for both treatment and prevention
• Fight for full debt cancellation to enable countries to redirect resources to fighting AIDS
• Support global AIDS drug distribution and procurement at lowest-prices, including access to generics

Racist economic and development policies of the North have fueled the African AIDS catastrophe.

The wealthiest nations must now shoulder our share of financial responsibilities and end policies of exploitation and neglect.

For more information on the Bush AIDS disaster, read Health GAP's report card on the first 100 days of the Bush Administration at www.globaltreatmentaccess.org or email jdavids@critpath.org