United Press International - May 2, 2003

"I had a chance to visit several countries in Africa two years ago, and I witnessed first hand the devastation that this disease has caused to these poor families. I am proud that we are taking this important step to help," Hastert continued.

The Congressional Black Caucus also praised the passage of the legislation. Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, D-Md., the CBC chairman, said the United States "took a very important step in stemming the spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa and the Caribbean" by passing the bill.

"For years the CBC has fought for a stronger response to the AIDS pandemic," Cummings said, paying tribute to some of his colleagues whose work was essential to the victory. "I also want to applaud the Bush Administration and the Republican leadership for finally joining us in this just cause," he said.

The passage of the bill also represents a major win for House conservatives who had expressed some reservations about the legislation as originally presented. They successfully added four amendments to the bill.

The first insists that no less than 33 percent of the funds spent on prevention go toward the promotion of abstinence-based programs.

The second provides a freedom of conscience exemption for religious and faith-based groups. These groups, which might have a moral objection to some of the strategies proposed to curtail the spread of AIDS, would still be able to participate in fund activities now that the exemption is in place.

The third, which some on Capitol Hill say could have far-reaching implications, caps the total amount of the U.S. contribution that can be spent on the fund's administrative expenses.

The fourth caps salaries paid to Global AIDS Fund administrators at no more than what the U.S. vice-president is paid annually. If these limitations prove enforceable, they may find their way into other pieces of legislation governing U.S. contributions to international organizations.

But not everyone was happy with the outcome. Officials of several AIDS Relief Organizations voiced strong opposition to the amendment governing the funding of abstinence programs while the bill was being considered. One of them, Progressive Health Partners President Todd Summers, a former Clinton administration official, said in an e-mail that a bill with a "33 percent abstinence-only carve out amendment is worse than no bill at all." The bill now moves to the United States Senate.

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