[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 43, Number 22 (Monday, June 4, 2007)]
[Pages 699-700]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks on the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief

May 30, 2007

    Thank you all for coming. Welcome to the Rose Garden. Today I'm 
joined by some very determined people who are battling one of the worst 
epidemics of modern times, the spread of HIV/AIDS.
    I want to thank you all for being here. I'm honored to be in your 
presence. And I want to thank others who are joining us in this 
important cause as well, starting with Ambassador Mark Dybul, who is the 
U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator. He runs our PEPFAR initiative. Mark, thank 
you for being here, as well as Rajat Gupta, who is the chairman of the 
board of the Global Fight--Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and 
Malaria. Rajat, we're proud you're here.
    He's told me something very interesting. Actually, he and I attended 
the same graduate school, and he said, ``It's important for people who 
have been successful in the business world to contribute something back 
to society.'' And, Rajat, thank you for that spirit, and thank you for 
that compassion and concern.
    Secretary Mike Leavitt is with us, the Department of Health and 
Human Services; Ambassador John Negroponte, Deputy Secretary of State. 
I'm about to make an important initiative. I appreciate my--the members 
of my administration for joining us to hear this initiative.
    The U.S. and our citizens have tackled HIV/AIDS aggressively. Many 
HIV-positive Americans are able to lead productive lives. The story has 
been quite different elsewhere, especially in sub-Sahara Africa.
    When I took office, an HIV diagnosis in Africa's poorest communities 
was usually a death sentence. Parents watched their babies die 
needlessly because local clinics lacked effective treatments. The story 
of a mother of Kenya affected me deeply, when she couldn't afford drugs, 
except for one person in her family. So she forgave her own treatment to 
save her son. Despairing families who had lost everything to AIDS 
started to believe that they had been cursed by the Almighty God. This 
modern-day plague robbed Africa and other countries of the hope of 
progress and threatened to push many communities toward chaos.
    The United States has responded vigorously to this crisis. In 2003, 
I asked Congress to approve an emergency plan for AIDS relief. Our 
Nation pledged $15 billion over 5 years for HIV/AIDS prevention, 
treatment, and care in many of the poorest nations on Earth. In the 
years since, thanks to the support of the United States Congress and the 
American people, our country has met this pledge. This level of 
assistance is unprecedented and the largest commitment by any nation to 
combat a single disease in human history.
    This investment has yielded the best possible return: saved lives. 
To date, the emergency plan has supported treatment for 1.1 million 
people infected with HIV. This is a promising start, yet without further 
action, the legislation that funded this emergency plan is set to expire 
in 2008. Today I ask Congress to demonstrate America's continuing 
commitment to fighting the scourge of HIV/AIDS by reauthorizing this 
legislation now. I ask Congress to double our initial commitment and 
approve an additional $30 billion for HIV/AIDS prevention, for care, and 
for treatment over the next 5 years.
    This money will be spent wisely through the establishment of 
partnership compacts with host nations. These compacts would ensure that 
U.S. funds support programs that have the greatest possible impact and 
are sustainable for the future. America will work with governments, the 
private sector, and faith and community-based organizations around the 
world to meet measurable goals: to support treatment for nearly 2.5 
million people; to prevent more than 12 million new infections; and to 
support care for 12 million people, including more than 5 million 
orphans and vulnerable children.
    To help assess the progress we have made to date, Laura, the First 
Lady, is going to go to Africa next month. She's going to meet with 
community leaders and visit with participants in HIV/AIDS programs 
during her trip to Zambia, Senegal, Mali, and Mozambique. And she's 
going to come back with her findings. I really thank her for her concern 
about HIV/AIDS. She and I share a passion. We believe strongly that to 
whom much

[[Page 700]]

is given, much is required. Much has been given the United States of 
America. Therefore, I believe strongly, as does she, that much is 
required of us in helping solve this problem.
    The statistics and dollar amounts I've cited in the fight against 
HIV/AIDS are significant, but the scale of this effort is not measured 
in numbers. This is really a story of the human spirit and the goodness 
of human hearts. Once again, the generosity of the American people is 
one of the great untold stories of our time. Our citizens are offering 
comfort to millions who suffer and restoring hope to those who feel 
forsaken.
    You know, one good example of this good work is supported by--that 
the U.S. supports is called the Coptic Hope Center in Nairobi, Kenya. 
Three years ago, the center had a staff of four people and resources to 
treat no more than five HIV/AIDS patients a day. Today, the staff 
consists of 40 people and 10 volunteers who provided care and treatment 
services to over 6,000 people. I want to thank the Director of the Hope 
Center, Bishop Paul, who's with us today. I want to thank you for being 
here. I want to thank you for your leadership and for your care for your 
fellow human beings.
    Dr. Bill Pape is with us as well. Dr. Pape is an expert on 
infectious diseases and founded in Haiti a leading HIV treatment 
program, which is a major PEPFAR partner. Dr. Pape has shown that even 
in the most difficult circumstances, dedicated and caring people can 
make great progress in fighting HIV/AIDS. We're sure proud you're here, 
doc. Thanks for coming.
    Also with us is Kunene Tantoh. Kunene is HIV-positive. She 
coordinates a mentoring program, supported by U.S. funds, for other 
mothers with HIV in Cape Town, South Africa. Kunene is proof that people 
with HIV can live productive lives and make a significant difference in 
the lives of others. Kunene, I want to thank you for joining us. Thank 
you for bringing Baron. Baron is 4 years old, and he's letting us know. 
[Laughter] We appreciate you all coming. Thank you for the example you 
have set.
    Similar success stories are playing out all across the African 
continent, where victims of HIV/AIDS are finding new reservoirs of 
strength and support. Villages in Africa now talk of the Lazarus effect, 
dying communities being brought back to life, thanks to the compassion 
of the American people. This is the impact that has made our emergency 
plan and the modern-day, good Samaritans who are implementing it so 
effective. It's important that we continue the work we have begun.
    I'm honored that you were here today. I'm honored to be representing 
a nation that cares deeply about the suffering of others. I look forward 
to working with Congress on this great and noble effort.
    May God bless you all. May God continue to bless the United States.

Note: The President spoke at 1:14 p.m. in the Rose Garden at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to Jean W. Pape, director, Haitian 
Study Group on Kaposi's Sarcoma and Opportunistic Infections; and 
Manyongo ``Kunene'' Mosima Tantoh, member, Mothers to Mothers-To-Be. The 
Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language 
transcript of these remarks.