Trump ’s Budget Asks for Nearly $300 Million to End the U.S. HIV Epidemic Within 10 Years

President Donald Trump’s proposed 2020 budget includes nearly $300 million meant to “defeat the HIV/AIDS epidemic” in the U.S. — even as it calls for a 12% reduction in total funding to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). During his February State of the Union address, Trump announced an ambitious plan to “eliminate the HIV epidemic in the United States within 10 years.” During a subsequent call with reporters, health officials said the initiative would focus on 48 at-risk counties across the country and would involve promoting early HIV treatment and diagnosis, expanding access to the preventative drug PrEP and strengthening outbreak responses. At the time, financial backing for the plan was not specified. Now, Trump’s proposed budget requests a total of $291 million for the project, although that money is not guaranteed. While presidential budget proposals reflect the White House’s spending priorities for the coming year, they must be approved by Congress before going into effect, which often does not happen. Democrats, who control the House of Representatives, have already spoken out against many of the proposals in the budget. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, for one, called the budget a “gut-punch to the American middle class and a handout to the wealthiest few,” pointing to cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. Anti-HIV and AIDS initiatives, however, have traditionally gained bip...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized HIV/AIDS Source Type: news