Trump Admin Agrees to Exempt Global AIDS Relief from Cuts, Urges Allies to Pull Weight

The Trump administration has agreed to exempt a global AIDS-relief program from cuts in the rescissions package before the Senate this week, a senior administration official confirmed to The Daily Signal.

The White House is working with other countries and partners to ensure that they carry a greater share of the burden of responding to AIDS where they can. In the meantime, the administration is continuing to invest in prevention of mother-to-child transmission and other key areas of focus, according to the official.

Senate Republicans plan to scale back the White House’s $9.4 billion spending-reduction request by removing a $400 million cut to the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. Office of Management and the Budget Director Russ Vought told reporters on Tuesday that the White House is “fine with” the amendment.

The rescissions package, which has already passed the House of Representatives, would cut only federal programs that the White House says are wasteful or go to causes not aligned with America’s national interest.

Following the Trump administration’s limited PEPFAR program cuts to LGBTQ education and capacity-building, 86% of PEPFAR remains operational. PEPFAR continues to support HIV testing, care, and treatment, and prevention of mother-to-child transmission services approved by the secretary of state, according to the senior administration official.

As of June 9, the Health Resources and Services Administration had treated an estimated 4,325 beneficiaries for AIDS. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has treated more than 11.4 million, the Department of Defense has treated 670,816, the U.S. Agency for International Development has treated 4.7 million, and South Africa Central Support has treated 1 million, adding up to more than 17.8 million.

That equates to roughly 86% of an estimated 20.6 million pre-Jan. 20 beneficiaries. PEPFAR continues to serve more than 18 million people in more than 40 countries.

“America remains the most generous country in the world, because President [Donald] Trump has a humanitarian heart, and we urge other nations to dramatically increase their humanitarian efforts,” the official said.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also approved the release of $1.3 billion in funding for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS. At least 60% of that will be used for the purchase of anti-retroviral medications and other commodities.

However, Rubio has cut wasteful programs prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives; capacity- building; waste and bloat at the United Nations; left-wing nongovernmental organizations; and other activities that don’t save lives.

“We are confident that ongoing and future programs will achieve a greater impact—prioritizing high-impact lifesaving aid, serving as a catalyst for private and partner-country investment,” the official said.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he expects the PEPFAR amendment to be the only change to the rescissions package.

“There was a lot of interest among our members in doing something on the PEPFAR issue, and so, that’s reflected in the substitute,” the South Dakota Republican said.

“We hope that if we can get this across the finish line in the Senate that the House would accept that one small modification,” Thune added.

The White House’s rescissions proposal includes a $1.1 billion reduction to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and a $8.3 billion reduction to foreign aid spending. The CPB funds National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service, which have long been criticized by conservatives for perceived left-wing bias. 

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