Washington Blade: Another Trump budget, another attempt to cut HIV/AIDS programs
“New year, new cuts to HIV/AIDS programs. President Trump’s proposed $4.4 trillion budget for fiscal year 2019 is most prominently characterized by soaring deficits, but also calls for varying degrees of cuts to HIV/AIDS programs reminiscent of his earlier request. … The reductions come at a time when HIV/AIDS continues to affect the LGBT community as well as populations within the United States and abroad. … The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, would see a reduction of 17 percent compared to existing funding levels, down from $4.65 billion in FY17 to $3.85 billion. Contributions to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria are down [a] whopping [32] percent. While the current level is at $1.35 billion, Trump’s request calls for $925 million in funds. … ‘The cuts are similar in magnitude as last year,’ [Jen Kates, vice president and director for Global Health & HIV Policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation] said. ‘We did an analysis and we found that that could have a dramatic impact of health outcomes around the world, so the U.S. is such a large funder of global health efforts that cutting back on HIV efforts around the world could have a real impact’…” (Johnson, 2/14).