03.19.09 - Federal HIV/AIDS Funding for San Francisco Protected in 2009 Omnibus Bill
March 19, 2009―The San Francisco AIDS Foundation applauds President Obama and Congress for enacting the 2009 Omnibus funding bill, which provides the largest funding increase in eight years for HIV/AIDS services in urban areas like San Francisco that are hit hardest by the disease.
The Foundation is especially grateful to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, who led a successful effort to defeat a last-minute amendment to the bill that would have reinstated drastic cuts in funding to the Ryan White CARE Act.
“This would have been the worst possible time to cut funds for community-based care and treatment for HIV/AIDS,” said Mark Cloutier, CEO of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. “More people than ever are living with the disease in San Francisco, which continues to be one of the leading causes of premature death for men in our community.”
Ernest Hopkins, director of federal affairs for the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, and representatives of other national HIV/AIDS organizations worked closely with members of Congress to include a provision to the Omnibus bill that prevented severe cuts to Ryan White funding. Thanks to their efforts, the spending bill restores nearly $7 million in funding for the San Francisco metropolitan area, which includes Marin and San Mateo counties.
Federal Ryan White HIV/AIDS funds critically-needed local and state primary medical care providers, support services, health care provider training programs and community-based organizations. To ensure that Ryan White funding continues beyond 2009, the Foundation’s legislative advocates are now pressing Congress to act quickly to approve a three-year extension of the Act.
The San Francisco AIDS Foundation provides leadership to prevent new HIV infections. Linking community experience with science, the Foundation develops ground-breaking prevention programs and bold policy initiatives to promote health and create sustainable progress against HIV. Established in 1982, the Foundation refuses to accept that HIV transmission is inevitable.
Page last updated:
3/19/2009