One week after holding a hearing on the HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa, the House Banking and Financial Services Committee on March 15 approved, 27-4, a bill (H.R. 3519) that would establish a trust fund through the World Bank to address the crisis. Committee members were nearly unanimous in their support for the thrust of the bill. “The quick pace at which we are moving reflects the urgency of this crisis in Africa and worldwide,” noted Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA). Rep. Mike Castle (R-DE) agreed, saying, “H.R. 3519 is desperately needed…a reasonable step toward making sure that people who need our help will get it.”
As introduced by Committee Chair James Leach (R-IA), the World Bank AIDS Marshall Plan Trust Fund Act would authorize a U.S. contribution of $100 million a year for FY2001 through 2005 for activities intended to address HIV/AIDS in Africa. Governments, private companies, and nongovernmental organizations would be allowed to contribute to the trust fund. Activities that would be supported under the trust fund include prevention, education, treatment and care services, and research and development activities.
Rep. Leach offered a manager’s amendment that made several changes to the original bill. Under his amendment, the World Bank would be directed to make grants, rather than loans, and priority funding would be given to countries with the highest HIV-infection rates, countries at risk for high HIV-infection rates, and countries that have a national HIV/AIDS program in place. The bill also would create an advisory board to oversee the trust fund and would require the World Bank to report to Congress annually on the implementation of the trust fund. The amendment was approved by voice vote.
The committee also approved several other amendments aimed at strengthening the bill. One such amendment, offered by Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), would add the provision of affordable drugs to the list of activities supported by the trust fund. The amendment was adopted by voice vote. Another amendment, offered by Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), would double the bill’s authorization from $100 million to $200 million a year.
Committee Chair Leach opposed the amendment, saying, “My sole concern is that doubling funding will sink the bill.” The amendment was narrowly approved, 13-12.
Another amendment, offered by Rep. Waters, would permit the trust fund to make grants for technical assistance to allow countries to build an infrastructure to deal with HIV/AIDS. The amendment also clarifies that countries that do not have a national HIV/AIDS program in place could still receive grants for technical assistance as long as they make a commitment to develop and implement a national HIV/AIDS program. The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
While a third amendment by Rep. Waters was ruled nongermane, ranking Democrat John LaFalce (D-NY) and Rep. Waters were successful in reworking the amendment to meet the committee’s approval. As adopted by voice vote, the amendment would encourage the Secretary of the Treasury to direct the U.S. Executive Director to the World Bank to encourage the World Bank to promote policies that would give Sub-Saharan African countries greater access to affordable drugs.
