Action Alert: Global AIDS Funding.It is especially important now for U.S. citizens to let their two Senators know they are concerned about funding to control AIDS and other infectious diseases infectious diseases: see communicable diseases. around the world. The Democrats have been worse on this issue than the Republicans -- not because they are opposed, but because they do not think people care. Calls before Labor Day Labor Day, holiday celebrated in the United States and Canada on the first Monday in September to honor the laborer. It was inaugurated by the Knights of Labor in 1882 and made a national holiday by the U.S. Congress in 1894. are most important. But it never hurts to let Congress know that their constituents care about AIDS in Africa and elsewhere, and infectious diseases everywhere. Background An August 20 alert from the Treatment Action Network of Project Inform summarizes the situation: "On April 26th, 2001, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan Kofi Atta Annan (born April 8, 1938) is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 1 1997 to January 1 2007, serving two five-year terms. He was the co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001. launched the 'Global AIDS and Health Fund'. This international fund is intended to treat and prevent HIV/AIDS HIV/AIDS Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome , tuberculosis tuberculosis (TB), contagious, wasting disease caused by any of several mycobacteria. The most common form of the disease is tuberculosis of the lungs (pulmonary consumption, or phthisis), but the intestines, bones and joints, the skin, and the genitourinary, , and malaria malaria, infectious parasitic disease that can be either acute or chronic and is frequently recurrent. Malaria is common in Africa, Central and South America, the Mediterranean countries, Asia, and many of the Pacific islands. for those without access to medicine, health care, and prevention programs. "This spring, President Bush pledged a $200 million contribution to this fund. While a small step forward, this amount falls well short of the $2 billion asked of the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. and lowered the bar for other contributors. Major donors have scaled back their contributions and the momentum has slowed. Advocates have turned to Congress to increase this pledge. "While the process hasn't finished in the House of Representatives or the Senate, it appears that the House will approve about the same amount as the President has pledged. It is critical that the Senate propose a much larger amount. The House and Senate will have to meet to negotiate a final amount to send to the President for approval. To prepare for these negotiations, it is crucial that the Senate come to the table with a large number, rather than the smallest! "Constituent CONSTITUENT. He who gives authority to another to act for him. 1 Bouv. Inst. n. 893. 2. The constituent is bound with whatever his attorney does by virtue of his authority. pressure is essential to ensure that elected officials make the global AIDS crisis a priority. If everyone who cares about the international AIDS epidemic meets with, calls, or writes a letter to their Senators this month, we could have a major impact in focusing their attention on this issue. Please take a few minutes to respond to this Alert! ..."You can find contact information for your two U.S. Senators by accessing their individual websites through the main U.S. Senate website. Go to www.senate.gov, then click "List Senators By State". You'll find links to both of your Senators underneath your state. Each website will have Washington and district phone, fax, and mailing addresses." Notes: (1.) It is best to avoid email to political offices unless you know that they are prepared to include email in their counts of public opinion on issues. If you do email your Senators, include your street address so they will know it is coming from a constituent. You might call their office and ask if email is a good way to communicate with them -- or if you should write or call instead. (2.) This alert is intended for the month of August (before Labor Day). But it is never too late to let your representatives know that you care about AIDS in Africa and elsewhere, and infectious diseases throughout the world. Doing our part to control epidemics is entirely feasible and is the right thing to do, and it makes us all safer in an increasingly populated pop·u·late tr.v. pop·u·lat·ed, pop·u·lat·ing, pop·u·lates 1. To supply with inhabitants, as by colonization; people. 2. , mobile, and interconnected world. |
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