World Population Day - HIV/AIDS Funding

Congressman Mark Steven Kirk (IL-10)

July 11, 2002

The HIV/AIDS epidemic is making headlines with the 14th International AIDS Conference in Barcelona. New projections concerning the disease show there is little good news.

Secretary Thompson leads the U.S. delegation. I thank the Secretary for his recent commitment to work with China to fight HIV/AIDS. We will sponsor collaboration between the U.S. and China using a $14.8 million CDC grant for research on HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment. China currently has 1.5 million case of HIV/ AIDS, estimated to rise to over 10 million by 2010.

HIV still has no cure. Prevention is our only means to combat it.

Since the President set a precedent funding CDC work in China, he should also fund the UN Population Fund. UNFPA provides family planning services in 140 countries - including Mexico - and supports HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns in 78 countries. $34 million approved by Congress for UNFPA is being held because UNFPA works in China - but we are now funding CDC work in the same field, so it is hard to see the distinction.

We need every tool to fight such a lethal disease . Our contribution to UNFPA will help reduce the immigration pressure on the US, reduce the damage of overpopulation and slow the spread of HIV.

[show print version] [back]