Washington, DC - Congressman Edolphus Towns, 10th District, New York, joined the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives in supporting H.R. 2764 which would fight HIV/AIDS in countries around the world as well as help to put an end to the genocide that is occurring in the Darfur region of Sudan.  The 2008 Foreign Operations' Appropriations bill passed in the House with a vote of 241-178.

“As a major world leader, the United States has a responsibility to assist in the fight of HIV and AIDS,” said Congressman Towns. “Investing in treatment, prevention and care for those with HIV and AIDS is essential if we are to solve this global health crisis.”

According to the United Nations, 2.9 million people died of AIDS in 2006. Worldwide, more than 39.5 million people are living with HIV. The State and Foreign Operations Appropriations bill provides $5.1 billion for HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and care programs including $550 million for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.

The legislation also provides $210.5 million for critical humanitarian and peacekeeping programs in Darfur.  This amount is a 90 percent increase in what was requested by President Bush. The genocide in Darfur has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and has displaced more than 2.5 million people since the crisis began in 2003.
 
“America has a moral responsibility to respond to the genocide in Darfur,” added Congressman Towns. “This legislation includes a significant commitment of resources to help meet our responsibility and work towards ending this crisis.”

The legislation also includes funding to strengthen development assistance to help increase global stability and resources for America’s allies in the global war on terror, including more than $1 billion to continue reconstruction and counter-narcotics efforts in Afghanistan.

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