Global Laser Talk July 2012

Speaking to Congress About Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS at the RESULTS International Conference  

Engage: This week over 250 RESULTS volunteers will be on Capitol Hill advocating for smart, compassionate poverty solutions. It is particularly exciting to be advocating around HIV/AIDS and TB-HIV co-infection, as the International AIDS Conference, or IAC, is taking place in DC right now.

Problem: The IAC is held every other year to highlight that, though progress is being made, millions of lives continue to be lost to HIV/AIDS and TB-HIV coinfection.

Inform: The good news is that we know how to save all these lives. New research proves that treating HIV early can reduce transmission rates by 96%. Expanded testing and treatment of TB could save 1 million lives by 2015, but only if we fund global health programs adequately.

Call to Action: I would like the congressperson to speak to leadership on the appropriations committee about protecting two critical global health efforts in 2013:

-$1.65 billion for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. This would fulfill a 3-year pledge made to the Global Fund, and

-$650 million for bilateral efforts to control TB as authorized in the Lantos-Hyde Act.

Can I count on the Congressperson to take action on these requests? May I send you more detailed information?