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 Statement on President Bush’s State of the Union Address
Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief
By Ken Casey,
World Vision International’s Special Representative to the President on AIDS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 29, 2003
SEATTLE - For millions of children in Africa and the Caribbean, President Bush’s State of the Union message wasn’t about war and peace, bears and bulls.
It was about life and death.
Mr. Bush’s proposed $15 billion Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief does more than triple the U.S. commitment to fight AIDS internationally; it sends a message that America stands with Africa and the Caribbean in fighting this threat to economic security and political stability.
The speech also marked a subtle but significant shift in emphasis to the needs of children. Mr. Bush singled out the 3 million African children infected with HIV, and promised to help care for children orphaned by AIDS. Support for life-sustaining drug therapy can keep parents alive longer, enabling them to raise their own children. Finally, Mr. Bush’s emphasis on prevention will help today's children become of generation of promise, not a generation of despair.
Now is the time to put this commitment into action. Congress and the Administration must make the Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief a legislative priority. The United States has pledged $3 billion a year for what is, conservatively, a $10 billion fight. Other wealthy countries also must make significant contributions. African and Caribbean nations must leverage these funds with an unwavering commitment to fighting AIDS. Finally, the American church must come alongside their African brothers and sisters to provide hope and care for the dying and the orphaned, and a life-saving message of abstinence and fidelity.
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Founded in 1950, World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization, serving the world's poorest children and families in nearly 100 countries.
Contacts: Brian Peterson: 407.445.6484 (office) 407.491.2399 (cell)
Sheryl Watkins 253.815.2246 (office) 888.787.3056 (pager) |
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