From: MPetrelis@aol.com Date: Fri, 11 Aug 2000 17:25:17 EDT Subject: Two US Reps question Hansen, ALRP use of Ryan White funds Subj: Follow Up Letter to Secretary Shalala Date: 8/11/00 12:30:31 PM Pacific Daylight Time From: Roland.Foster@mail.house.gov (Foster, Roland) August 11, 2000 The Honorable Donna E. Shalala Secretary Department of Health and Human Services 200 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20201 Dear Secretary Shalala, Per my correspondence dated August 10, I am writing to update you on my request for an investigation into a misuse of federal funds by an organization which has clearly violated federal law. As I stated in my previous letter, the AIDS Legal Referral Panel of the San Francisco Bay Area, which this year received over $200,000 in Ryan White CARE Act funds, is actively lobbying members of both the House of Representative and the U.S. Senate in an effort to defeat a measure that would protect women and children from HIV. I provided you with copies of a fax, an e-mail and a group sign on letter that the organization has sent to numerous congressional offices along with several news articles that quote from a press release distributed by the AIDS Legal Referral Panel. My staff has repeatedly attempted to reach this organization, but the number provided both on their 990 tax forms and in their press releases is disconnected. The office address provided is also closed and, from what I understand, has been for some time. Ms. Eileen Hansen, the contact listed for the AIDS Legal Referral Panel, could, however, be contacted at a political office, 'Eileen Hansen for District 8 Supervisor.' On the campaign's website is a posting entitled "Davis Will Be Lobbied Over HIV Reporting" that details how Ms. Hansen is working to lobby the Governor of the state of California against the recommendations of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. I am now increasingly concerned that this organization which receives more federal CARE Act funding than many states is using tax payer money to lobby both Congress and the state (in violation of federal law) and to possibly fund a political campaign. As you know, a similar situation occurred in Puerto Rico where millions of CARE Act dollars were stolen and used to fund, among other non-CARE Act services, a political campaign. As you know, many states including Oklahoma have been faced with AIDS Drug Assistance Program shortfalls in recent years and many living with HIV/AIDS have had to wait until someone else died of AIDS before they could access life saving medications. I find it appalling that an organization receiving over $200,000 in CARE Act funds is misusing these federal resources while others are left to die. Once again, thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to a timely resolution and a response. Sincerely, Tom A. Coburn, M.D. Vice Chair Commerce Subcommittee on Health & Environment Enclosures * * * > ---------- > From: White, Joel > Sent: Friday, August 11, 2000 11:35 AM > To: eileenhansen@alrp.org > Cc: Wheat, Marc; Foster, Roland; Kim, Paul > Subject: Your Position > > It was truly disappointing to see your release my office received on > August 8. Especially your statement that, "Mandatory testing of any > individual or population is unnecessary, inappropriate, and NOT IN THE > BEST INTEREST OF SERVING THE PUBLIC HEALTH." > (emphasis added). > > There is no mandatory testing provision in the House passed Ryan White > Reauthorization bill. There is an incentive grant for states that choose > to identify infected individuals. Your assertion that there is a > mandatory testing provision is factually incorrect. I would appreciate it > if you would stop perpetuating this fabrication about the Cobburn-Waxman > bill. > > The carefully crafted compromise between my boss, Dr. Coburn and Rep. > Waxman was the best we could do to ADVANCE public health. (In order to > treat a disease, you have to know of its existence in a human. To know of > its existence, you have to perform a diagnostic test). > > It was clear to me and my boss that absent a compromise, Dr. Coburn would > have offered the Ackerman mandatory testing provision in full committee > mark up, and that provision would have passed overwhelmingly. Considering > this alternative, I and my boss worked to address the public health threat > of perinatal transmission. The compromise we drafted with AIDS activists > will go a long way in preventing new baby AIDS cases. > > Shouldn't we all want that? > > Joel White > Office of Congressman Jim Greenwood > Michael Petrelis Welcome to AIDS-STATISTICS www.AIDS-statistics.com 2215-R Market Street, #413 San Francisco, CA 94114