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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 1, 1997)
ju st o u t ▼ a u g u s t 1, 1 9 9 7 T 9 They (Here the Best of Friends It UJas the Ulorst of Times G ive and take House subcommittee approves major increase in ADAP funding but pares the request for prevention programs , T by Bob Roehr ome AIDS programs have hit the finan cial jackpot via budgetary markups on Capitol Hill. On July 15, the House Appropria tions C om m ittee’s panel on labor and education approved an $80 billion spending bill which includes about $1.8 billion for AIDS treat ment and prevention next year— 7 percent more than President Clinton wanted. The nearly $2 billion includes $1.17 billion for the Ryan W hite AIDS Health Services treat ment program— $132 million more than Clinton recommended. The bill includes $299 million for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program, a 79 percent increase over fiscal 1997. ADAP in part provides new life-prolonging drugs to people with HIV and AIDS. correlation between a sustained federal invest ment in AIDS research, prevention, housing and care and the dramatic drop in AIDS deaths [re cently] announced at our State of AIDS Forum,” he says. Zingale estimates the increase "could allow overburdened, cash-strapped ADAPs to continue to provide medications to over 80,000 Americans living with HIV and A IDS.” The bill also includes a 4.6 percent increase for AIDS research at the National Institutes o f Health and a 4 percent increase for emergency assistance grants to cities hardest hit by the epi demic. "The subcommittee did the right thing by substantially increasing funding to the AIDS Drug Assistance Program, something we have been calling for,” says Seth Kilboum, the Human Rights Pride and Solutions is the nation’s leading provider of mental health and addictions treatment to the lesbian, gay and bisexual communities. We’re also HIV/AIDS-related stress, depression and grief specialists. From coast to coast, our centers offer a safe, personalized, professional and tranquil atmosphere to address the issues that effect your life. Whether it’s the company you keep, the behaviors you’ve struggled with or the overwhelming sense of helplessness - we have the solutions. Better times could be just a phone call away. Call Us Today 1-800-DIAL-GAY Medicare and Most Insurance Accepted AIDS Action Council Executive Director Daniel Zingale “It’s rare in this atmosphere to get what you ask for— to the penny— and have the chair say, ‘You deserve it,’ ” says Bill Arnold, co-chair o f the ADAP working group, which argued for the increase. Lawmakers, however, removed more than $ 12 million from the president’s request for AIDS prevention programs, allotting about $622 mil lion. According to subcomm ittee chair Rep. John Edward Porter (R-Ill.), members chose to place greater em phasis on treatment because o f the high cost o f new AIDS drugs that are prolonging the lives of people with the disease. Arnold says Porter deserves a big pat on the back. “We ow e [him] big time. Sticking his neck out on something like this was not particularly easy, especially in the context o f the balanced budget amendment. And o f course the adm inis tration didn’t do a fucking thing,” says Arnold, noting the Clinton adm inistration’s refusal to support the ADAP increase. Daniel Zingale, executive director o f the AIDS Action Council, says he is elated with the results. “Fortunately many o f our elected officials— especially Representative Porter— understand the C am paign’s senior policy analyst for health. “Sev eral recent reports have spotlighted the need to increase funding for these programs because many are facing cash shortfalls at a time when they’re also expecting demand to rise. This is a clear sign that these members o f Congress understand the importance o f getting the new drugs, primary care and other services to people who might not other wise be able to afford them .” He adds, “We also welcome the increase for NIH research, but w e’re concerned that the sub committee did not set adequate levels for HIV prevention programs conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and for early intervention program s.” These early intervention programs include outpatient care services for rural and underserved urban areas. AIDS lobbyists, however, say they are pleased that no amendm ents were offered which would have restricted the adm inistration’s ability to lift the ban on federal funding for needle-exchange programs. The bill is one of 13 spending measures to fund federal programs in the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1. PRIDE INSTITUTE AT SOLUTIONS Los Angeles (three facilities) New York Area Washington, D.C. Pride Institute at Solutions