Date: Mon, 27 Sep 1999 17:15:13 -0500
From: Kevin Ivers <kivers@lcr.org>
Subject: GOP HOUSE OUTDOES CLINTON ON AIDS FUNDING FOR FIFTH YEAR IN A ROW

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE		CONTACT: Kevin Ivers
September 27, 1999			(202) 347-5306 x12

GOP HOUSE INCREASES AIDS FUNDING, EXCEEDING WHITE HOUSE BUDGET FOR FIFTH
CONSECUTIVE YEAR

ADAP, NIH Funding Increased Over Clinton Requests, Ryan White Overall Up 7.6%

(WASHINGTON) For the fifth consecutive year since the Republican takeover
of Congress, the House advanced a spending measure which would increase
funding for AIDS treatment and services millions of dollars above the
budget request of President Clinton.

The House Appropriations Labor/HHS Subcommittee set an increase of $107
million for the Ryan White CARE Act in Fiscal Year 2000 (7.6%), with a
crucial increase in the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP), a
state-administered program which funds direct access to life-saving and
life-extending AIDS drug treatments for patients who are uninsured or
underinsured and do not qualify for Medicaid.  FY 2000 funding for ADAP was
set at $500 million dollars by the committee, chaired by Congressman John
Porter (R-IL).  President Clinton had requested $496 million for ADAP in
Fiscal 2000, while Log Cabin Republicans and state AIDS directors have
advocated for $544 million for the crucial program.

"The Republican Congress has acted wisely and prudently, and has preserved
health care priorities for people with HIV/AIDS amidst budget conflicts,"
said James Driscoll, Log Cabin national AIDS policy advisor.  "In addition,
Congress put in a 9% increase for AIDS research programs at the National
Institutes of Health, while President Clinton only requested a 2% increase.
This shows Chairman Porter's far-sighted leadership in crafting a sound
federal AIDS strategy.  We need continued research to cure this disease and
to develop vaccines, and we cannot let up now."

"We applaud Chairman Porter's exceptional and consistent leadership on this
vital issue from the moment he took over the subcommittee in 1995," said
Kevin Ivers, LCR Director of Public Affairs.  "It is something this
Congress can be proud of as a solid record of leadership and achievement on
an issue of such vital importance to millions of Americans impacted by
HIV/AIDS.  Despite the challenge of the conflict with the White House over
tax and budget policy, Chairman Porter has worked with the leadership to
ensure that Ryan White and ADAP funding continued to be a top priority for
this Congress."

Log Cabin Republicans is the nation's largest gay Republican organization,
with state and local chapters nationwide, a federal political action
committee and a national office headquartered in Washington, D.C.  Ensuring
that Congress prioritize saving and extending the lives of people with
HIV/AIDS through access to breakthrough treatments has been a long-standing
legislative priority of Log Cabin Republicans.

#####

Log Cabin Republicans		Kevin Ivers
(202) 347-5306 phone		Director of Public Affairs
(202) 347-5224 fax			http://www.lcr.org