News

Strong Bipartisan Support for Fight Against HIV/AIDS

December 1, 2011

(Washington, DC) - This World AIDS Day, Log Cabin Republicans remember the many who have suffered from HIV/AIDS, and join Americans of all ideological stripes in our commitment to strengthening prevention and treatment of this disease.

"World AIDS Day is an opportunity to reflect on where we have been and to refocus on where we need to go in order to see an end to the threat of HIV and AIDS," said R. Clarke Cooper, Log Cabin Republicans Executive Director. "When President George W. Bush announced the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in 2003, only 50,000 people were receiving AIDS drugs in all of Africa. Today, that number is more than four million, representing millions of people who would not otherwise be alive. Domestically, the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) has been a life-saving safety net for the most vulnerable Americans. As Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus Co-Chair Trent Franks (R-AZ) said today, combatting this disease is vital for fostering stability in hard-hit corners of the world, but ultimately it is also a matter of compassion to offer hope and healing to all of God's children, no matter who they are or how they came to be infected. There is much work still to do.

Today, Log Cabin Republicans are proud that Congressman Richard Hanna (R-NY) has become the latest member to join the Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus, helping to fill the ranks of lawmakers committed to treatment and prevention. Finally, at the same time as we call upon Congress to continue President Bush's strong legacy on HIV/AIDS, Log Cabin Republicans also urge Americans to embrace the conservative principle of personal responsibility by getting tested today. The best medications or policies are powerless without that knowledge."