{"id":299728,"date":"2023-10-07T08:45:49","date_gmt":"2023-10-07T13:45:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=299728"},"modified":"2023-10-05T21:41:03","modified_gmt":"2023-10-06T02:41:03","slug":"house-aids-relief-safeguards-abortion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/house-aids-relief-safeguards-abortion\/","title":{"rendered":"House reauthorizes Africa AIDS relief program with safeguards against promoting abortion"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The U.S. President\u2019s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program, established during the Bush era, has been instrumental in saving countless lives in the fight against AIDS. In the wake of a contentious congressional battle, the House has now reauthorized PEPFAR, including safeguards against abortion promotion overseas.<\/span><\/p>\n

Last week, in a 216-212 vote, the House of Representatives <\/span>passed<\/span><\/a> the State Foreign Operations Appropriations bill (HR 4665) reauthorizing PEPFAR, with robust provisions aimed at protecting preborn children and their mothers.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRegrettably, PEPFAR has been reimagined\u2014hijacked\u2014by the Biden Administration to empower pro-abortion international non-governmental organizations, deviating from its life-affirming work,\u201d <\/span>said<\/span><\/a> Rep. Chris Smith, Chair of the House Global Health Subcommittee, who was the prime\u00a0sponsor of the reauthorization of PEPFAR in 2018.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThankfully, the House has voted to reject Biden\u2019s new PEPFAR abortion promotion strategy and increase spending for its life-saving programs while ensuring key pro-life protections,\u201d Smith <\/span>added<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Bush Administration launched PEPFAR in 2003 to address the global HIV\/AIDS epidemic, particularly in Africa. Through PEPFAR, the U.S. government has put over <\/span>$100 billion<\/span><\/a> into fighting HIV\/AIDS worldwide over the past two decades. This is the most money any country has ever spent on a single disease, according to the State Department.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Troublingly, however, the program recently became ensnared by politicians pushing an abortion agenda under the guise of \u201csexual reproductive health, rights, and services.\u201d A September 2022 <\/span>document<\/span><\/a> titled \u201cReimagining PEPFAR\u2019s Strategic Direction\u201d says that \u201c[w]here possible, PEPFAR will integrate HIV programming into strengthened public health systems to manage tuberculosis, high burden non-communicable diseases, sexual reproductive health, rights and services, as well as other local health priorities that impact PLHIV [people living with HIV\/AIDS] \u2013 to protect HIV\/AIDS gains and strengthen health and economic outcomes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As Live Action News <\/span>previously reported<\/span><\/a>, in May, the Heritage Foundation released a <\/span>report<\/span><\/a> expressing concerns that the Biden Administration was using PEPFAR to promote its \u201cradical social agenda overseas.\u201d The report prompted many conservative group leaders and pro-life organizations to write letters to Congress, asking them to ensure taxpayer dollars don’t go towards promoting abortions. In addition, <\/span>131 African lawmakers and religious leaders<\/span><\/a> urged Congress not to exploit PEPFAR by using it to fund abortion.<\/span><\/p>\n