Health News
2005-10-05
AIDS Action calls
on Congress to quickly renew the now-expired Ryan White
Act
AIDS Action, a
coalition of more than 100 AIDS service organizations from
across the co
AIDS Action, a
coalition of more than 100 AIDS service organizations from
across the country, is calling on Congress to quickly
reauthorize the Ryan White CARE Act, which expired at
midnight on September 30. Since its initial approval
in 1990, the Ryan White Act, which provides federal
money for HIV treatment and support services, has served
hundreds of thousands of HIV-positive Americans.
“Reauthorization is essential to ensuring that
everyone living with HIV and in need of care and
treatment receives it,” says Craig Thompson,
executive director of AIDS Project Los Angeles and board
chairman of the AIDS Action Council. “In
addition, access to HIV/AIDS treatment and care
services must be consistent. No one in need of lifesaving
care and treatment should ever be without it.”
Although the Ryan
White Act has expired, an emergency measure keeps
current funding levels in place until lawmakers can address
reauthorization. AIDS experts expect a reauthorization bill
to be introduced in Congress before the end of the
year; it will then be debated and voted on in
early 2006. (Advocate.com)
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