Re: [UUPoly-L] Good news about global AIDS/HIV programs

"Lisa Swanson" <lisa.swans@gmail.com> · Tue, 05 Feb 2008 18:57:48 -0000

If you want to send an email to your legislators through the UUA's
Washington Office for Advocacy about the PEPFAR reauthorization, you can do
so here:

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1272/t/4696/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=4889

More information about the action is appended below.  Peace!  --Lisa.

    [image: Pathway to
PEPFAR]<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=UePbMH6BcQUDJ9WQuQDBJT5pFQyvj73H>

Dear Lisa,

We need your help! This Thursday, February 7 will be a critical day in the
future of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and U.S.
global HIV prevention policy. Just a few minutes of your time could make a
real difference.

Members of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs will gather on February 7
to make amendments to the PEPFAR reauthorization draft bill, known as "
mark-up<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=1gbm7WxO1zyg5bzgNcP9Lj5pFQyvj73H>."
We are excited to report that the draft prepared by Chairman Lantos' office
does not contain an earmark for abstinence-until-marriage programs, includes
important funding increases, and emphasizes the integration of HIV and AIDS
prevention programs with family planning programs. This great first draft is
the result of your hard work over the last couple of years to call
Congressional attention to the problems with PEPFAR.

However, several members of the committee plan to offer amendments that
would seriously damage the bill. Now is the time to call your
representatives on the House Foreign Committee and ask them to attend the
full duration of the mark up (so they don't miss important votes), support
Lantos's bill, and oppose harmful amendments, especially those that would
reinstate a funding earmark for abstinence-until-marriage programs.

For more background on the issue, please click
here<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=T7ND3QLlr%2BaekNZ666MPbz5pFQyvj73H>.

Take Action Now!

Here is a list of the Representatives in who are on the House Committee on
Foreign Affairs and who we believe will vote our way on Chairman Lantos'
bill. I am including the staff person for each office who works on global
AIDS and the office phone number. Please call the representative(s) from
your state TODAY. See below for a sample phone script.

List of representatives to call:
*Member of Congress / Office Number / Key Staff Person*
Lantos (CA-12) / 202-225-3531 / Bob King
*No calls necessary
Berman (CA-28) / 202-225-4695 / Jami Crespo
Ackerman (NY-5) / (202) 225-2601 / Jared Frost
Faleomavaega (Amer. Samoa) / (202) 225-8577 / Lisa Williams
Payne (NJ-10) / 202-225-3436 / Heather Flynn
Sherman (CA-27) / (202) 225-5911 / Don MacDonald
Wexler (FL-19) / (202) 225-3001 / Jesper Pedersen
Engel (NY-17) / (202) 225-2464 / Emily Gibbons
Delahunt (MA) / 202-225-3111 / Cliff Stammerman
Meeks (NY-6) / 202/225-3461 / Kim Fuller
Watson (CA-33) / 202-225-7084 / Bert Hammond
Adam Smith (WA-9) / (202) 225-8901 / Katy Quinn
Carnahan (MO-3) / (202) 225-2671 / Jeremy Haldeman
Tanner (TN-8) / (202) 225-4714 / Carling Dinkler
Green (TX-29) / (202) 225-1688 / Lindsay Mosshart
Woolsey (CA-6) / 202-225-5161 / Jennifer Goedke
Jackson Lee (TX-18) / (202) 225-3816 / Samia Elshafie
Hinojosa (TX-15) / (202) 225-2531 / Andrew Jones
Crowley (NY-7) / (202) 225-3965 / Gregg Scheiowitz
Wu (OR-1) / (202) 225-0855 / Scott Olson
Miller (NC-13) / (202) 225-3032 / Ashley Orr
Linda Sanchez (CA-39) / (202) 225-6676 / Jose Delgado
Scott (GA-13) / (202) 225-2939 / Gary Woodward
Costa (CA-20) / 202-225-3341 / Bret Rumbeck
Sires (NJ-13) / 202-225-7919 / Jessica Lawrence
Giffords (AZ-8) / (202) 225-2542 / Daniel Graver
Klein (FL-22) / 202-225-3026 / Virginia Neale *

If your member is not listed consider taking action on our
website<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=SV%2BWS8CAbRCx%2FQkZsOLtOj5pFQyvj73H>
.
*

*Sample script*: *Ask to speak with the key staffer listed above*"Hi, my
name is __________ and I'm a Unitarian Universalist from your district. I am
calling to urge Representative ___________ to attend the entire February 7th
Foreign Affairs Committee markup of the PEPFAR Reauthorization bill and to
support Chairman Lantos's bill during this mark-up. We expect this mark-up
to include many amendments that would weaken U.S. funded HIV prevention
programs. In particular, I urge him/her to oppose any amendment that would
reinstate a funding earmark for abstinence-until-marriage prevention
programs. Thank you."

Thank you for making these critical calls!

Please don't hesitate to let me know if I can provide you with more
information. I encourage you to consider forwarding this alert to others
from your district.

For Justice,
Adam Gerhardstein
 ------------------------------

*Adam Gerhardstein* - Legislative Assistant for International Issues
phone: 202.296.4672 x21 | email: agerhardstein@uua.org

*UUA Washington Office for Advocacy*
1320 18th Street NW, Suite 300B | Washington DC, 20036
website: www.uua.org/socialjustice<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=FlY9qaWhYaJFLkbFodorSj5pFQyvj73H>|
fax:
202.296.4673

 <http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=FdMfXq9DfpuIVzfeLliv2j5pFQyvj73H>
<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=9DwTC2kHcs3ij5%2BTNywLhj5pFQyvj73H>
<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=USoge%2BETHLFdfmwvxtHaRj5pFQyvj73H>
<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=FobWWwZtCNU0NRkTwNz6QRqGSVg%2BHFpa>
<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=qHR3c5fD9jcz6O5E8Yle0T5pFQyvj73H>

On 2/4/08, Desmond Ravenstone <desmondravenstone@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> Democrats To Seek Changes, Boosted Funding During
> PEPFAR Reauthorization Debate
> [Feb 04, 2008]
>
> Some Congressional Democrats have proposed removing
> abstinence program spending requirements and a
> mandatory pledge against commercial sex work in the
> upcoming reauthorization of the President's Emergency
> Plan for AIDS Relief, the AP/Yahoo! News reports
> (Abrams, AP/Yahoo! News, 2/2). The lawmakers also are
> hoping to allow "reproductive health groups to have
> broader access to U.S. money," according to CQ Today.
>
> The reauthorization draft bill is scheduled to be
> considered in the House Foreign Affairs Committee on
> Feb. 7. It would remove a current requirement that at
> least one-third of HIV prevention funds focus
> countries receive through PEPFAR be used for
> abstinence-until-marriage programs. It also would
> revoke a requirement that PEPFAR recipients pledge
> opposition to commercial sex work in order to receive
> funding. The draft bill's broadening of PEPFAR money
> to family planning groups is seen by some as "opening
> a door to funding abortion providers" overseas, which
> is illegal for Congress to do, according to CQ Today.
>
> For more info, read the complete article at
> http://kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=50181
>
>
> Desmond Ravenstone
>
> ********************
>
> Check my blog & find my books at http://www.myspace.com/desmond_ravenstone
>
>
>
>
>
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