Congress Must Include Additional Money for Global Fund in Final Budget Bill, Editorial Says

Congress must approve final budget legislation that includes a Senate amendment that would authorize an additional $500 million for the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in order to "solidif[y] America's commitment to the battle against three deadly diseases plaguing the developing world," an Indianapolis Star editorial says (Indianapolis Star, 3/19). The Senate on Thursday approved 51-49 a fiscal year 2006 $2.6 trillion budget resolution (S Con Res 18), including an amendment that would provide a $500 million increase in funding for the Global Fund and bring the total FY 2006 amount for the fund to $800 million. President Bush in his FY 2006 budget request proposed $300 million go to the Global Fund. The House also must approve the funding increase for it to take effect (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 3/18). By approving the funding increase, the Senate "took an important step toward reducing the diseases' staggering death toll," the editorial says. The increase also could help to "leverage donations from other countries," according to the editorial. The Global Fund has "an impressive track record in fighting AIDS," and to deny the group additional funding "would be a setback in the battle against AIDS and other infectious diseases," the Star concludes (Indianapolis Star, 3/19).