This report from the Family Research Council about the Dems latest hypocrisy will certainly get your hackles up...Despite the $463.5 billion in the 2007 spending bill the U.S. Senate adopted late yesterday, liberals refused to find $30 million to detect and treat HIV/AIDS in newborn babies. In fact, the legislation specifically includes a provision that would cancel a program designed to do just that. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) attempted to add an amendment earlier this week to reinstate the funding, but Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) refused to include it in the final bill.
Putting political vengeance ahead of children's health, liberals have hinted that this is score-settling for Coburn's aggressive stance against spending. "Slashing funding for baby AIDS formula grants and putting thousands of babies needlessly at risk of HIV infection is a perverse way to exact political retribution," Coburn said.
Every year, thousands of babies, predominantly from poor, African-American families, are born at risk of developing AIDS. With the growth and expansion of prenatal testing, many of these HIV-related infections can be treated--and even prevented. Studies show that when the drug regimen AZT is given to pregnant women who have contracted HIV, the risk of mother-to-child transmission drops by two-thirds. Back in December, this success inspired Congress to pass a law called the Ryan White Early Diagnosis Grant Program that authorizes the $30 million in funding to states to ensure that these mothers have access to medication that they otherwise could not afford. Now Democrats are willing to put thousands of vulnerable children at risk.
How could anyone be so callous as to prevent infants from getting preventative care that could change--even save--their lives?
Please let your political representatives know how shameful this action is.
