[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 8]
[Senate]
[Pages 11009-11010]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        THE PRESIDENTIAL INITIATIVE TO REDUCE AIDS TRANSMISSION

  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, Wednesday I was asked by a member of the 
press about the President's announcement of an initiative to spend $500 
million, including $200 million Congress has already approved for the 
current fiscal year, to fight the global AIDS pandemic by targeting the 
transmission of the disease from mothers to infants.
  I applauded the President and his decision. His participation in the 
bipartisan campaign to combat this international health crisis is 
welcome and significant.
  It is important to understand, however, that the President does not 
pledge any new resources until 2004. And the overall amount of 
resources he does commit to, while important, isn't enough.
  The human toll this health crisis has already inflicted on this 
country and the world is staggering.
  Every twelve seconds, one person dies due to complications from AIDS. 
Every minute, one of those people is an infant.
  Each day brings 14,000 new infections, with half of those infected 
under the age of 25.
  There are currently 30 million people with HIV in Africa, and the 
National Intelligence Council estimates that number could double in the 
next five years.
  And, as if these numbers are not tragic enough, there is one more 
staggering statistic: by the end of this decade forty-four million 
children will have lost their parents to AIDS.
  It is also important to understand that, as these statistics 
demonstrate, the international community doesn't have the luxury of 
time in reversing the spread of AIDS worldwide. Good intentions must be 
matched by commensurate resources if we are to reverse current trends.
  Earlier this month, against the backdrop of those horrific--and 
mounting--numbers, the Senate debated its version of the FY2002 
emergency supplemental appropriations bill. Prior to the Senate's 
consideration of this important legislation, a bipartisan group of 
Senators urged the Appropriations Committee to provide additional 
resources in this bill to combat AIDS so that funds to address this 
problem could be released right away.
  The committee responded by including $100 million to fight AIDS and 
other diseases in the supplemental. And before the Senate could take up 
the committee's work, a group of senators--Democratic and Republican--
proposed that this bill not leave the Senate floor with less than $500 
million for this purpose.
  Regrettably, according to news stories, the White House feels $500 
million is too much for AIDS this year.
  Under pressure from the White House, several Republican Senators 
withdrew their support for adding $500 million for AIDS this year, and 
the effort failed. The Senate was forced to settle for $200 million.
  Just $200 million to fight a deadly disease that already infects 40 
million people and is projected to infect millions more.
  So, while I find Wednesday's announcement an encouraging indication 
of a growing awareness within the administration of the need to engage 
in the battle against the international AIDS crisis, the resources it 
is willing to commit to this challenge still fall far short of what is 
needed. And far short of what I believe this great nation is capable of 
and should be doing.
  As for availability, the President's initiative sets aside $300 
million in fiscal year 2004, 16 months from now.
  Based on UN estimates, over those next 16 months, more than 1.1 
million babies could contract HIV. The President's plan aims to prevent 
just 146,000 infections in 5 years.
  Again, these resources are welcome, but I cannot help but feel that 
we have just missed a tremendous opportunity. When we wait to dedicate 
the resources necessary to fight this battle, we make our eventual 
victory against this threat harder--and more costly.
  Does the administration truly believe that this $300 million could 
not be spent wisely and well now? If not, why?
  So I come to the floor this afternoon to offer to work with the 
President and

[[Page 11010]]

my colleagues to do two things with regard to the new initiative.
  First, because the transmission of HIV from mother to child is an 
area where we know we can reduce the spread of HIV, it is vital that we 
increase funding in the area of mother-to-child transmission. But it is 
not enough to keep children from being infected with HIV in utero. We 
should commit to a major effort to treat the mothers and other family 
members already infected with the deadly virus so that children, free 
from the virus at birth, will grow up not as orphans, but with the 
support of their families.
  Second, I do not believe we should wait until 2004 to put this 
initiative fully into action. We should include the full $200 million 
in this year's supplemental, and we must find significant, additional 
resources in the next fiscal year.
  On a bipartisan basis during the last two years, Congress has 
significantly increased the amount of resources the President has 
sought for the global HIV/AIDS battle. And we must do so again.
  In announcing Wednesday's initiative, President Bush said, ``The 
wasted human lives that lie behind the numbers are a call to action for 
every person on the planet and for every government.''
  He is right.
  Our nation has begun to heed that call, but our commitment to beating 
back this disease and our compassion for the millions who now suffer--
compel us to do much, much more.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. Carnahan). The Senator from Virginia.
  Mr. WARNER. Madam President, I thank the distinguished leader for the 
assistance he has given, together with the Republican leader, in moving 
this bill forward. I am going to address the Senate momentarily on an 
aspect of this bill, I say to the majority leader, and then he can give 
us guidance as to when this bill can be set aside.
  Parliamentary inquiry: It is this Senator's understanding the Senate 
is in morning business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator is correct.
  Mr. WARNER. I ask unanimous consent we return to consideration of the 
bill so I may address certain sections of the bill.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. WARNER. At the conclusion of my remarks, I request we again lay 
aside the bill and return to morning business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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