Subject: Clinton Budget Cuts AIDS $$$ at NIH, HRSA, FDA
From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 11 Feb 1997 12:45:15 -0500 (EST)

ACT UP Washington
825 5th Street NE, Suite A
Washington, DC 20002
202.547.6780
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Clinton Lied about AIDS in his State of the Union Address
President's '98 budget cuts AIDS $$$ at NIH, HRSA, FDA

 In his State of the Union Address on February 5th, President Bill Clinton
took credit for AIDS-related medical advances.  Clinton pledged that the,
"NIH (National Institutes of Health) will now become the most powerful
discovery engine for an AIDS vaccine, working with other scientists to
finally end the threat of AIDS."  

 ACT UP Washington members commended Clinton's comments at the time.  The
activists cautioned that they would hold final judgment pending close
inspection of the budget. The budget was released on February 7th "The money
in the budget does not match Clinton's rhetoric.  He lied to America once
again,' states Steve Michael of ACT UP Washington.

 On February 10th, Rick Weiss of The Washington Post reported that NIH
economists "predict that the cost of doing science will increase 3 percent
during 1997 (about  0.5 percent faster than the predicted rise in the
consumer price index), which makes NIH's proposed increase of 1.6 percent for
fiscal 1998 a net decline in buying power."

  "This is criminal neglect pure and simple. The President of the United
States brags to the world that he is creating the 'most powerful discovery
engine for an AIDS vaccine' and then two days later siphons off the fuel
needed to power that engine, " states Michael.

 Even Republican Senator Connie Mack of Florida who last month introduced a
resolution in the Congress that called for a doubling of the NIH budget
called the Clinton increase "paltry' and "absolutely unacceptable."

 The Clinton budget does not appropriate any funds to implement the findings
of a task force commissioned by the Office of AIDS Research at the NIH and
chaired by Dr. Arnold Levine.  The 40 page report developed by an
independent, cross-disciplinary panel that included Nobel scientists,
clinicians, researchers, representatives of the pharmaceutical  industry and
community activists criticized the governments widespread use of
AIDS-earmarked funds for research not closely related to AIDS." 

 "The Clinton budget also diverts money needed to improve and speed up the
drug approval process at the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) to issues
around tobacco use." notes Michael.  

 Another area of concern to the AIDS activists of ACT UP Washington is a $132
million cut to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).  That
agency is responsible for providing health care access for underserved and
vulnerable populations.  "How Bill Clinton can cut money from the agency
charged with administering the Ryan White CARE Act is beyond my
comprehension," notes Cheryl Spector of ACT UP Washington. 

 Notes Wayne Turner of ACT UP Washington, "I wish Clinton would listen to his
own State of the Union Address---"every year we move up the discovery of an
AIDS vaccine will save millions of lives around the world. We must reinforce
our commitment to medical science."  Turner responds, "When Bill?  When will
you listen to your own words? Turner continues, "Every year Bill Clinton
delays a real national response to AIDS, guarantees that more of us will die.
 More of us have died in the fours years since Bill Clinton became president
than during the Reagan-Bush years.