Funding For HIV, STI Prevention Included In House, Senate Versions Of Economic Stimulus Bill

Main Category: HIV / AIDS
Also Included In: Sexual Health / STDs;  Public Health
Article Date: 30 Jan 2009 - 2:00 PDT

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The House on Wednesday voted 244-188 to approve an economic stimulus bill (H.R. 1) that would allocate $335 million to CDC for HIV and sexually transmitted infection prevention efforts, the Washington Times reports (Dinan, Washington Times, 1/29). The $335 million also would fund efforts to prevent tuberculosis and hepatitis (H.R. 1 text, 1/29). According to the Times, House Republicans on Wednesday criticized the inclusion of STI prevention funding in the $819 billion stimulus bill, saying it does nothing to create jobs and regenerate the economy. According to the Times, the Senate version of the economic stimulus bill (S. 1) would allocate $400 million to CDC for HIV and STI efforts. Floor debate on the Senate bill is expected to begin next week. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Health, said the STI provision is one of the significant achievements of the bill, according to the Times. Wesley Denton, an aide to Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), asked, "[H]ow in the world does STD research create jobs?" (Dinan, Washington Times, 1/29).

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