A Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus is Born!

In a week in which partisan wrangling returned, an important step in the bipartisan fight against HIV was taken when the Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus was officially launched on Thursday, September 15. The Caucus, co-chaired by Representatives Barbara Lee (D-CA), Jim McDermott (D-WA) and Trent Franks (R-AZ), is a bipartisan group of House Members organized to follow an agenda supporting domestic and international HIV/AIDS programs. The fact that a bipartisan caucus has formed in these partisan times in Washington speaks loudly and clearly what we have known for years -- HIV is not a partisan issue. The Caucus currently has 59 members.  Our very own Ronald Johnson, Vice-President of Policy and Advocacy, was a speaker at the press conference (AIDS United was very honored to be the only domestic national HIV/AIDS organization chosen to participate) announcing the formation of the Caucus. He pledged AIDS United’s support to help caucus members capitalize on “Implementation of the U.S. National HIV/AIDS Strategy, progress achieved through PEPFAR (President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) and the Global Fund, and recent HIV research advances…”   

In this edition of the Policy Update, we highlight this important event as well as Rep. Lee’s introduction of the Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2011, the anticipated introduction of the REPEAL (Repeal Existing Policies that Encourage and Allow Legal) Discrimination Act, that we hope you will endorse.  The Update also includes an article on the significance and relevance of the recent Census data on poverty to the HIV community. Please also take a look at our announcements section, found at the bottom of the Update, which is chock-full of important dates, events, and opportunities for HIV advocates.

While there is much work to be done before the end of the year (don’t think for one second that we’re going to let you forget about the "super committee!"), let’s make sure we take pause to enjoy the victories, big or small. The formation of the Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus, the introduction of the Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2011, and the REPEAL Discrimination Act are examples of how your advocacy efforts make a difference.

Thank you for your continued involvement and advocacy.

Donna Crews, Director of Government Affairs

back to top

AIDS United’s Vice President of Policy & Advocacy Ronald Johnson Speaks at Launch of Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus

WASHINGTON, D.C.  September 15, 2011 – Today at the launch of the Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus, AIDS United Vice President of Policy and Advocacy, Ronald Johnson, pledged AIDS United’s help for the new body to meet its goals. The goals of the Caucus include maintaining global leadership in the fight against HIV/AIDS in the United States and around the world, and to galvanize new leadership in preparation for the International AIDS Conference in Washington D.C. in July, 2012.

Read the rest of AIDS United’s press release about the launch of the Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus.

View the video of Ronald Johnson’s remarks.

back to top

Congresswoman to Introduce HIV Anti-Discrimination Bill

Congresswomen Barbara Lee (D-CA) is about to introduce The REPEAL (Repeal Existing Policies that Encourage and Allow Legal) HIV Discrimination Act. This bill will require the federal government to work with state governments, people living with HIV/AIDS, HIV legal advocacy and service organizations, and other stakeholders to review all federal and state laws and policies that involve criminal liability for people living with HIV and to issue a report on the review. Currently 34 states and two U.S. territories have criminal laws based on alleged exposure to and/or transmission of HIV.  Most of these laws do not require proof of malicious intent to spread HIV, proof that that there was actual risk of transmission, or that HIV transmission actually occurred.  The bill also calls for the federal government to issue guidance to states on best practices identified in the review’s report.  The ultimate purpose of the bill is to eliminate discrimination in the law for people diagnosed with HIV.

AIDS United is in full support of this bill and we are working actively with Rep. Lee’s office. You can read the most recently released draft of the bill as well as view a factsheet about the bill and the effect it will have on current policies.  If organizations are interested in endorsing The REPEAL HIV Discrimination Act, they may show support by emailing Sophia Sadinsky at programassociate@hivlawandpolicy.org.

back to top

Census Bureau Releases 2010 Income, Poverty, and Health Coverage Data: Data Underscore Link to Social Determinants of Health

The U.S. Census Bureau earlier this week released 2010 data on median household income, the poverty rate, and rates of health insurance coverage.  The 2010 data show that real median income has declined by 6.4% since 2007, the number of people living in poverty reached its highest level since such data has been recorded, and the number of people without health insurance rose from 49 million to 49.9 million from 2009 to 2010.

The data serve to remind us of the social determinants of health, including the link between poverty and HIV/AIDS, and the critical importance of increasing access to health coverage and addressing racial and ethnic disparities.

See the report and other reference material on the census data.

Read the CDC report on social determinants of health.

Read an analysis on the data by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

back to top

Announcements

National HIV/AIDS Strategy Implementation Dialogues
To maintain the community-driven momentum of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy, the Office of National AIDS Policy will convene a series of regional dialogues to focus attention on issues related to implementation of the Strategy.  These dialogues will serve as a forum for federal and state agency representatives, researchers, clinicians, the HIV community, and leaders from business, philanthropy, faith and media sectors to share their diverse expertise and collaborative experience.

The dialogues begin September 27 in Birmingham, Alabama. View the schedule of all the dialogues and register for one of the events.

Help Make AIDS United’s Advocacy Stronger!
You can strengthen AIDS United’s advocacy efforts by telling us more about yourself. Details about organizational affiliation, home address, and phone number make it possible to mobilize constituents in key districts and states around when we need them most. Updating your information is easy! Just click here to manage your subscription. If you received the Policy Update from a friend or colleague, sign yourself up to receive your own action alerts and Policy Updates on critical HIV/AIDS issues.

Update your contact information or become an advocate in AIDS United’s network.

AIDS United Hiring Regional Field Organizers
AIDS United seeks three Regional Field Organizers to work with its grantees, partners, and allies to implement a coordinated national organizing strategy. The Regional Field Organizer will help mobilize grassroots state and federal HIV/AIDS-related advocacy to achieve the National HIV/AIDS Strategy goals.  Regional Field Organizers will be located in Texas, Washington, DC, and the Southeast U.S.

Learn more about the Regional Field Organizer position.

Comment on the New Insurance Exchange Regulations
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released comprehensive exchange regulations in July, with comments due on September 28, 2011.  This regulation will have a huge impact on how the exchanges will work and on what sort of protections will be in place to make sure that the many people living with HIV who will be getting insurance through the exchanges will  have access to HIV providers, plan information, and care and treatment.

Read through the regulations

Submit comments

National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day – September 18
The National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day (NHAAAD) focuses on the challenging issues facing the aging population with regards to HIV prevention, testing, care and treatment. In addition, there is an increased need for prevention, research, and data targeting the aging population, medical understanding of the aging process and its impact on HIV/AIDS.

Visit the National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day page for posters, a fact sheet, a planning guide and more.

Register your NHAAAD events here.

Learn more about HIV and aging here.

National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day – September 27
The National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA) is the lead organizer for this day, which started in 2008. Click here for more information about this day.

Read about a CDC study of HIV prevalence among gay and bisexual men in 21 of the nation’s major cities.

Blogs: Read this NGMHAAD post by Stephen Bailous (NAPWA) and find out what NCHHSTP’s Director Dr. Fenton says about HIV in the City and the awareness day.

Bridge to 2014: HIV and Health Reform Update for Advocates
Full implementation of health care reform – including the Medicaid expansion and roll out of state-based health insurance exchanges – means that thousands of people living with HIV will gain access to public and private insurance in 2014. However, we are in the midst of an unprecedented access to care and public health crisis right now, and people living with HIV simply cannot wait until 2014 to gain access to lifesaving care and treatment. We will update advocates on important opportunities to build a bridge to 2014 and immediately expand health care access to people living with HIV and AIDS. 

Space is limited.
Reserve your space in the Webinar now.

C-SPAN Launches Special Joint Committee Resource
The compromise debt ceiling law (The Budget Control Act of 2011) creates a special joint committee (sometimes called the “super committee”) with a stated goal of achieving at least $1.5 trillion in budgetary savings over 10 years, from spending cuts or tax revenue.

C-SPAN has created a comprehensive resource for people to learn about everything that is the Super Committee. The site includes committee member bios, videos, streaming of member comments on social media sites, and links to committee stories and other resources.

What the FOA is going on?!?!
The HIV Prevention Justice Alliance (HIV PJA) will host a webinar on CDC’s funding opportunity announcement (FOA) for HIV prevention programs in health departments. The panel will include representatives from CDC, state and regional organizations and prevention providers.

The webinar will take place on Wednesday, September 21 from 3:30-5:30 p.m. ET.

Register for the webinar

back to top