New York Times: Letter to the Editor: Trump and AIDS
Serra Sippel, president of the Center for Health and Gender Equity (Change)

“…Though Mr. Trump’s proposal to reduce funding for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, … was rejected by both the House and the Senate appropriations committees, the administration’s version of the global gag rule — which is a dramatic expansion of previous iterations — remains in effect. Research by Fordham University shows that the global gag rule drastically curtailed community-based HIV testing and condom distribution programs. This is why President George W. Bush explicitly exempted PEPFAR funding from the policy. Mr. Trump’s decision to include PEPFAR and expand the global gag rule’s reach underscores this administration’s gross incompetence when it comes to global health. Now is not the time to stymie efforts to control the spread of an epidemic that knows no borders. Legislation like the Global HER Act is a critical step to making sure that progress toward ending AIDS is not reversed” (9/21).