April 2, 2003 - House of Prepresentatives: Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald introduces bill HR 1145 to provide an additional $5 million for the Peace Corps for health volunteers focused solely in the area of HIV/AIDS
Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald introduces bill HR 1145 to provide an additional $5 million for the Peace Corps for health volunteers focused solely in the area of HIV/AIDS
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Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald Statement on FY 2004 Appropriations
April 2, 2003
Foreign Operations Subcommittee
Committee on Appropriations Open Witness Day – Hearing on FY2004 Appropriations
Thank you Chairman Kolbe and Ranking Member Lowey for affording me the opportunity to speak today on issues important to me. Since coming to Congress I have carried the mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS legislation and I come before this distinguished panel as a long-standing advocate in educating the public on the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV/AIDS.
I have introduced bills since the 105th Congress addressing the growing crisis of the transmission of HIV/AIDS from infected mothers to their newborn children. While this is now commonly referred to as the prevention of MTCT, early on, worldwide concern about the pandemic in Africa and India wiping out millions and millions of people due to AIDS was just beginning to emerge.
I, along with millions of people around the world, was delighted when I heard the President’s State of the Union address committing $15 billion over the next five years. I wrote a letter to the President following his speech commending him for his leadership in addressing HIV/AIDS in a meaningful way. I would like to submit my letter along with these remarks for the record.
I have two requests addressing HIV/AIDS and both of my requests ask for inclusion in FY2004 appropriations.
HIV/AIDS – PEACE CORPS
First, with respect to the Peace Corps, the President requested an increase in his FY04 budget for Peace Corps volunteers, some of whom assist host countries and local communities in addressing HIV/AIDS prevention and care. I support that increase. My bill, HR 1145, provides an additional $5 million for the Peace Corps for health volunteers focused solely in the area of HIV/AIDS.
And I would like to take this time to thank Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur for cosponsoring HR 1145.
According to the latest figures, there are 6,678 Peace Corps volunteers serving in 69 countries, but only 2,128 of them work part time on HIV/AIDS activities. A mere 1,460 of those are spread out over 24 countries in Africa, and in addition to addressing the HIV/AIDS pandemic, must divide their attentions to providing several other necessary services like improving education of students, encouraging economic development, and increasing the agricultural capability of farming communities.
Mr. Chairman and Ranking Member Lowey, my bill asks for $5 million which would fund 125 additional Peace Corps volunteers who would work just on HIV/AIDS, and solely on train-the-trainer programs to educate and improve the skills of professionals, local organizations, and indigenous people in HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment. I respectfully request this distinguished panel to consider my legislation for the FY2004 appropriations. This is a small price to pay for immediate intervention of a pandemic we all recognize is overwhelming in countries and on continents.
I was recently sent an email from a Peace Corps volunteer who has served in Sierra Leone and India, and was the Country Director in Mongolia. He writes that he strongly supports my bill HR 1145 and quote:
“Knows how cost effective this bill will be in the field. It will positively affect many lives and build goodwill, understanding and peace.”
Mr. Zober’s statement is especially poignant at a time when we are fighting a war abroad and fear further terrorism on our own land. Mr. Zober is a graduate of San Diego State University, was a Board Member of the National Peace Corps Association, and is currently serving in the Peace Corps in Israel.
I believe there are some former Peace Corps workers who have returned from their assignments and have worked in the area of HIV/AIDS. Let me just quickly introduce them, since they took the time off from their jobs to come here and support my legislation:
Lauren Hale, who served in the Ivory Coast;
Carrie Hessler-Radelet, who served in the Samoa Islands;
Carolyn Baer, who served in Burkina Faso;
Virginia Taggert, who served in Uganda; and
Dana Aronovich, who served in Mali. Co-Sponsors of HR 1145
Following are co-sponsors of HR 1145
Rep Brady, Robert - 3/6/2003 [PA-1]
Rep Brown, Sherrod - 3/6/2003 [OH-13]
Rep Christensen, Donna M. - 3/6/2003 [VI]
Rep Frost, Martin - 3/6/2003 [TX-24]
Rep Hinchey, Maurice D. - 4/29/2003 [NY-22]
Rep Honda, Michael M. - 3/6/2003 [CA-15]
Rep Houghton, Amo - 3/6/2003 [NY-29]
Rep Jefferson, William J. - 3/6/2003 [LA-2]
Rep Kaptur, Marcy - 3/6/2003 [OH-9]
Rep Kildee, Dale E. - 3/6/2003 [MI-5]
Rep Lee, Barbara - 3/11/2003 [CA-9]
Rep Lofgren, Zoe - 3/6/2003 [CA-16]
Rep McCollum, Betty - 3/6/2003 [MN-4]
Rep McDermott, Jim - 3/6/2003 [WA-7]
Rep McNulty, Michael R. - 3/6/2003 [NY-21]
Rep Napolitano, Grace F. - 4/29/2003 [CA-38]
Rep Norton, Eleanor Holmes - 3/6/2003 [DC]
Rep Owens, Major R. - 3/6/2003 [NY-11]
Rep Payne, Donald M. - 3/6/2003 [NJ-10]
Rep Rangel, Charles B. - 3/6/2003 [NY-15]
Rep Walsh, James T. - 3/6/2003 [NY-25]
Rep Watson, Diane E. - 3/6/2003 [CA-33]
Rep Watt, Melvin L. - 3/6/2003 [NC-12]
Rep Waxman, Henry A. - 3/6/2003 [CA-30]
Rep Wexler, Robert - 3/6/2003 [FL-19]
Rep Woolsey, Lynn C. - 3/6/2003 [CA-6] Click on a link below for more stories on PCOL
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