Subject: Two US Reps question Hansen, ALRP use of Ryan White funds
From: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 11 Aug 2000 17:25:17 EDT

Subj:    Follow Up Letter to Secretary Shalala
Date:   8/11/00 12:30:31 PM Pacific Daylight Time
From:   [email-masked] (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:   [email-masked]
> 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
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