Biden’s New Budget Has Slowed National HIV Efforts
a bill went through last week that allocates funding for HIV testing, prevention, treatment, and research programs for areas in the U.S.
most impacted by the virus. Instead of supporting the $245 million increase proposed in President Biden’s original budget, the final bill only increased the funding by $70 million, according to press release from the HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute.“After having to deal with COVID-19 these past two years, we were looking forward for our nation’s HIV prevention, care, and treatment programs getting back on track in ramping up their efforts to end HIV,” said Carl Schmid, executive director of the HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute, after the announcement was made March 9. “Unfortunately, the smaller than expected increases for the second year in a row will severely hamper these efforts and endanger our nation’s goal to end HIV by 2030.The final bill, which was proposed by Democratic Senate leaders and approved by the House, also includes an almost $175 million in increases for other domestic HIV programs — over half of which are dedicated to AIDS research at the NIH.
