Health News
2005-12-13
Congress set to
adjourn without addressing Ryan White reauthorization
Congress this
week is set to adjourn for the year without having taken
any action to reauthorize the Ryan Wh
Congress this
week is set to adjourn for the year without having taken
any action to reauthorize the Ryan White Act, which provides
AIDS services to low-income HIV-positive Americans,
despite the act's having expired at the end of
September, the Ryan White Action Campaign reports. The
campaign is urging both Democrats and Republicans to make
reauthorization a priority when Congress reconvenes in 2006.
"The president
unambiguously called for the reauthorization of the
Ryan White CARE Act at his State of the Union address in the
early part of 2005 and repeated this call once again
on World AIDS Day, more than 10 months later,”
says Howard A. Grossman, executive director of the
American Academy of HIV Medicine, in a press release.
“Given a full year to reenact the legislation
and to fix the deficiencies in the current program,
Congress will adjourn this week leaving the law outdated and
untouched. Things don't simply happen in Congress; there are
agendas and priorities set forth by the leadership,
and the lack of action by this Congress reveals,
unfortunately, that HIV is not the priority we had
hoped it would be."
The campaign also
is urging lawmakers to boost funding for key components
of the Ryan White Act—particularly the state-run AIDS
Drug Assistance Programs that provide lifesaving
medications to low-income HIVers—and to ensure
that all HIV-positive Americans have access to adequate care
and support services.
The Ryan White
Action Campaign is a nationwide coalition of medical
providers and AIDS advocacy and service organizations. For
more information about the campaign or the Ryan White
reauthorization process, go online to www.ryanwhiteaction.org. (Advocate.com)
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