"I'm what the world considers to be a phenomenally successful man. And I've failed much more than I've succeeded. And each time I fail, I get my people together, and I say, "Where are we going?" And it starts to get better." - Calvin Trager
Thanks to everyone who took the time to call or email their senators about the Santorum-Durbin amendment, which adds $566 million to U.S. contributions to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (and maintains the agreed upon 1-to-2 contribution ratio between the U.S. and other donors).
The amendment passed as part of a bloc of other amendments to the budget by a voice vote.
FYI, in addition to Rick Santorum and Richard Durbin, other co-sponsors were:
Sen Dayton, Mark [MN] - 3/14/2006 Sen Stabenow, Debbie [MI] - 3/14/2006 Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] - 3/14/2006 Sen Boxer, Barbara [CA] - 3/14/2006 Sen Sarbanes, Paul S. [MD] - 3/14/2006 Sen Kerry, John F. [MA] - 3/14/2006 Sen Feinstein, Dianne [CA] - 3/15/2006 Sen Sununu, John E. [NH] - 3/15/2006 Sen Lautenberg, Frank R. [NJ] - 3/15/2006 Sen Hagel, Chuck [NE] - 3/16/2006
The actual text of the amendment is:
Congress makes the following findings: (1) The HIV/AIDS pandemic has reached staggering proportions. Over 40,000,000 people are living with HIV/AIDS worldwide, and 5,000,000 more people become infected each year. HIV/AIDS is estimated to kill 3,000,000 men, women, and children each year.
(2) The United States was the first, and remains the largest, contributor to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (referred to in this section as the ``Global Fund'').
(3) The Presidential Administration of George W. Bush (referred to in this section as the ``Administration'') has supported legislative language that links United States contributions to the Global Fund to the contributions of other donors, permitting the United States to provide 33 percent of all donations, which would match contributions on a 1-to-2 basis.
(4) As of the date of the approval of this Resolution, Congress has provided 1/3 of all donations to the Global Fund since its inception.
(5) The Global Fund currently estimates that during fiscal year 2007, it will renew $1,600,000,000 worth of effective programs that are already operating on the ground, and the Administration and Global Fund Board have said that renewals of existing grants should receive priority funding.
(6) The Global Fund estimates that during fiscal year 2007, it could award $1,000,000,000 in funding to proposals submitted for Round 6.
(7) For fiscal year 2007, the President has requested $300,000,000 for the United States contribution to the Global Fund.
(8) The Global Fund is an important component of the United States efforts to combat AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, and supports approximately 350 projects in 130 countries.
(9) Through a mid-year review process, Congress and the Administration will assess contributions to date and anticipated contributions to the Global Fund, and ensure that United States contributions, at year end, are at the appropriate 1-to-2 ratio.
(10) Congress and the Administration will monitor contributions to the Global Fund to ensure that United States contributions do not exceed 1/3 of the Global Fund's revenues.
(11) The United States will need to contribute $566,000,000 more than the President's fiscal year 2007 request for the Global Fund to--
(A) fund 1/3 of renewals during fiscal year 2007;
(B) support at least 1 new round of proposals in fiscal year 2007; and
EGR resources and connects the church to embrace what one person, one congregation, one diocese and one church can do to make this mission of global reconciliation happen.
Want to find out more ... check our our website at www.e4gr.org.
"Christ's example is being
demeaned by the church if they ignore the new leprosy,
which is AIDS. The church is the sleeping giant here.
If it wakes up to what's really going on in the rest
of the world, it has a real role to play. If it doesn't,
it will be irrelevant."
- Bono
Episcopalians for 
