Billions for life-saving AIDS program need to continue, George W. Bush Institute tells Congress

WASHINGTON — As billions of dollars for a global HIV/AIDS program credited with saving millions of lives remains in limbo, the George W. Bush Institute is urging the U.S. Congress to keep money flowing for it. In a letter sent to Congress on Wednesday, the former Republican president’s institute pleaded with Congress to keep funding the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR. “Abandoning it abruptly now would send a bleak message, suggesting we are no longer able to set aside our politics for the betterment of democracies and the world.” The program, created 20 years ago, has long enjoyed bipartisan support but recently become the center of a political fight: a few Republicans are leading opposition to PEPFAR over its partnership with organizations that provide abortions. Although abortion has become central to the hold up over PEPFAR’s funding, the Biden administration’s Global Aids Coordinator said he was unaware of any circumstance where money was used to fund abortion services.