November 2005

Congress Passes Initiative to Protect Vulnerable Children

On October 17, the House voted 415-9 to approve a bill (HR 1409), introduced by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) to protect vulnerable children in developing countries. The bill would establish within USAID a special adviser who would coordinate U.S. assistance to orphans and vulnerable children, including aid to programs that provide basic care and services, treatment for HIV-positive children, psychosocial support and education, as well as programs that provide food at school; work to abolish school fees; and promote inheritance rights for HIV/AIDS orphans. The bill had 130 cosponsors and support from HIV/AIDS organizations generally. Global Action for Children reported that Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold had called upon the Senate to pass the bill promptly, saying, “This bipartisan legislation is an important step in fulfilling our nation’s commitment to fighting the global HIV/AIDS pandemic and building a more sustainable future for all God’s children.”

The bill, introduced by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Richard Lugar (R-IN), indeed passed the Senate the following Monday, October 24. At press time, it had not yet been signed by the President. “This is tremendous news for millions of children in poor countries,” said Milly Katana, a Ugandan AIDS advocate visiting the U.S. Senator Lugar pointed out that developing countries “otherwise stand to lose generations of educated and trained professionals who can contribute meaningfully to their countries’ development.” (Senator Lugar is also cosponsor of a pending bill that would accelerate the development of vaccines for HIV and other infectious diseases. It would require the U.S. to establish a comprehensive strategy that enhances public-private partnerships and would create tax credits for companies that invest in research and development of treatments for the diseases.)