mikepence.house.gov
Pence
Contact:
Matt Lloyd 202-226-4379
PENCE STATEMENT TO FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE ON GLOBAL HIV/AIDS LEGISLATION
Washington, Feb 28 -
U.S. Congressman Mike Pence gave the following statement during today’s
consideration of the Tom Lantos and Henry Hyde United States Global Leadership
Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008 in the
House Foreign Affairs Committee. Pence is the ranking member of the
Subcommittee:
rise in cautious support of H.R. 5501. I say cautious only for the reason that
I’m not that fast of a reader.
want to identify myself with some of the concerns expressed by my colleague from
affecting five years of
policy on the continent of
breakfast reading.
from what I know, it seems that the Tom Lantos and Henry Hyde United States
Global Leadership Against HIV-AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria Reauthorization Act of
2008 has reached a thoughtful and bipartisan agreement that will convey American
resources in a manner that is consistent with American values to confront the
pandemic of HIV-AIDS in Africa. And I’m anxious to support that effort—within
those boundaries.
as a pandemic has infected more than 60 million people worldwide. It has killed
more than 25 million in its wake. It’s orphaned 14 million children and today
nearly 70 percent of the people in the world who are afflicted with HIV-AIDS
reside in
heartbreaking to think that there are whole countries where more than one-third
of the adult population is infected.
in January 2003, I was pleased to see President Bush propose the Emergency Plan
for AIDS Relief as ‘a work of mercy beyond all current international efforts to
help the people of
my stingy fiscal conservatism, I was pleased to support this legislation,
because the American people have a heart bigger than their wallet. And seeing
the crisis on the continent of
American people, I believe, desperately wanted us to
respond.
it was important that we respond in a way that respected their values and
respected the traditional and historic limitations on the use of foreign aid on
the world stage.
why I’m cautiously optimistic that we have reached an acceptable compromise in
this reauthorization today. It appears that we have found a way to preserve the
original intent and mission of PEPFAR without opening this funding up to
organizations and practices that many American citizens find morally
objectionable.
I said in recent weeks, Mr. Chairman, it appeared that it would be possible or
it was potential at least that this critical humanitarian legislation could be
in jeopardy by entering into the divisive issue of funding abortion providers
worldwide.
I commend you, Mr. Chairman, and the Ranking Member for finding a way to set
aside those arguments and reauthorize the program with a significant expansion
and funding but without having to ask millions of American taxpayers to set
aside their deep concern for the use of their tax dollars on the global stage in
a way that is inconsistent with their values.
especially am moved this morning, particularly in the wake of the tragic recent
loss of our colleague and former chairman, Tom Lantos, and last year’s passing
of former chairman Henry Hyde to see that a piece of legislation that I believe
is so reflective of the core of both men.
men were deeply committed to humanitarian causes and to confronting injustice in
the world, including the injustice and the ravages of disease. But I will say
gently and respectfully that it appears to me at this point that we’ve also
crafted legislation that honors Mr. Hyde’s deep commitment to respecting the
pro-life views of millions of Americans in the administration of foreign
aid.
so with that I lend my support, anxious to continue to monitor the legislation
as it moves to the floor and moves through conference, but I want to express my
gratitude to the leadership of this committee on both sides of the
aisle."