For Immediate Release:	June 19, 2007
For More Information:	Diana Bruce, AIDS Alliance for Children, Youth & Families, 202-492-7804
Sponsor Organization:	AIDS Alliance for Children, Youth and Families
“We urge Congress to maintain the $3.2 million increase on the Senate floor and through the final conference process.”
June 19, 2007, Washington, D.C. -- AIDS Alliance for Children, Youth and Families is grateful to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education (Labor-HHS) for prioritizing women, children and youth living with HIV/AIDS with an increase in funding for programs that get them into care and prevent mother-to-child transmission. In the FY 2008 Labor-HHS appropriations bill approved by the subcommittee today, funding for Ryan White Part D (Title IV), which provides HIV care and services to women, children, youth and families, received a $3.2 million increase – bringing total funding to $75 million. “We greatly appreciate the Senate’s $3.2 million increase for Part D (Title IV) for 2008,” said Alelia Munroe, board president of AIDS Alliance. “Part D (Title IV) programs serve as a lifeline for thousands of HIV-positive women, children and youth. On behalf of the Part D (Title IV) community, we urge Congress to recognize the importance of investing in comprehensive, family-centered care HIV programs that serve the most vulnerable among us, and maintain the $3.2 million increase on the Senate floor and through the final conference process,” continued Munroe. On June 7, the House Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee flat-funded Part D (Title IV) at $71.8 million for FY 2008. “We give special thanks to Senate Labor-HHS Subcommittee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Ranking Member Arlen Specter (R-PA) for recognizing the urgent healthcare needs of women, children, youth and families living with and affected by HIV/AIDS supported through Part D (Title IV) of the Ryan White CARE Act,” said David Harvey, executive director of AIDS Alliance. ### AIDS Alliance for Children, Youth & Families is a national training, education and advocacy organization. Our provider members include over 650 community-based organizations that serve over 53,000 pregnant women, children, youth and families affected by HIV/AIDS. Many of our programs are funded under Title IV of the Ryan White CARE Act, a program that reaches the vast majority of pregnant women and newborns affected by HIV/AIDS in the United States. Title IV provides comprehensive, family-centered care to women, children, youth and male caregivers affected by HIV/AIDS through 91 grants in 35 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. For more information, contact Diana Bruce, director of policy and government affairs, at 202-785-3564, x 25.