Bush Institute issues urgent request to Congress to extend AIDS program

The institute founded by President George W. Bush issued an urgent call Wednesday to revive the global AIDS program known as Pepfar, a centerpiece of Bush’s foreign policy legacy that has fallen victim to abortion politics on Capitol Hill.

Pepfar – the President’s emergency plan for AIDS relief – has saved about 25 million lives since Bush established it 20 years ago. The $6.9 billion program, which Congress previously authorized every five years, has long had bipartisan support and is often cited as a powerful example of America’s moral leadership in the world.

But it faces an uncertain future. He cleared the legislation authorizing the program on Sept. 30 after some House Republicans alleged, without evidence, that the Biden administration was using it to promote abortions abroad. These Republicans want to tie abortion restrictions to Pepfar, which would doom its reauthorization in the Democratic-controlled Senate.

The Bush Institute, which is nonpartisan, has so far been reluctant to enter the debate.

But w Double-sided letter Signed by more than 30 retired ambassadors, the foreign policy frames and organizations – including the Carter Center, founded by former President Jimmy Carter – the institute pleaded with Congress to reauthorize the program. He argued that in addition to saving lives, Pepfar was opposing the growing influence of Russia and China and Burnish America’s reputation as a world leader.

“Pepfar is a model of United States leadership and a source of great national pride,” the letter said. “This is one of the most successful international development programs since World War II. Abruptly abandoning it now would send a grim message, suggesting that we are no longer able to set aside our policies to improve democracy and the world.”

For now, at least, Pepfar still works. But supporters fear that without a foundation, the program will be subject to budget cuts or even elimination in the future. They say the program is weaker without the bipartisan imprimatur of Congress.

“The classic conservative talking point is that we don’t want to fund programs that are not authorized,” said Keifer Buckingham, director of advocacy at the Open Society Foundation and a longtime supporter of Pepfar. She added: “You could also say that there is an optical importance in global health policy and global health policy.”

Bush himself did not sign the institute’s letter; People close to him said he was trying to apply his voice wisely. Among those who signed the signing was Dr. Deborah L. Birx, a senior fellow at the Bush Institute who led Pepfara under Presidents Barack Obama and Donald J. Trump and also served as Trump’s coronavirus response coordinator.

In an interview on Wednesday, Dr. Birx called on President Biden or his advisers to take a more aggressive role in reauthorizing Pepfar. She suggested that they convene a diminutive group of House and Senate lawmakers to “say this is personally essential to him” and to make a point for Congress to demonstrate to the world “how we work together to illustrate our compassion for others.”

“Someone has to step in and take a leadership role,” she said, adding: “Ultimately, if reauthorization doesn’t happen, it’s because the current administration hasn’t prioritized it and hasn’t found a path forward. “

The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

Mr. Bush has made no secret of his desire to reauthorize the program. In the summer, He discussed his future Joined by Representative Michael McCaul, Republican of Texas and chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, at a luncheon at Bush Family Compare in Maine. In mid-September he published Opinion in the Washington Post Calling on Congress to save him.

At the time, Pepfar’s supporters on Capitol Hill thought they were making progress in breaking the logjama. Rep. Barbara Lee, a California Democrat who is a leading supporter of the program, said in an interview that she worked with freshman Republican Rep. John James of Michigan on the bipartisan reauthorization bill.

But the effort in the face of a possible government shutdown took stock last month and remained stalled while House Republicans split over who would be the next speaker. Dr. Birx said she hopes the program can be reauthorized by December 1, which is World AIDS Day.