Dear Colleagues,

We urge you to support the HIV Emergency Local Partnership Act of 2007 [H.R. 2736]. By signing on to this letter which we will be sending to House of Representatives leadership and the legislation’s sponsors or by sending your own letter, you will be showing your support to Congress Members Nydia Velazquez, Hilda Solis, Jose Serrano and Luis Fortuño.



HIV Emergency Local Partnership Act of 2007 [H.R. 2736] is an important piece of legislation that provides comprehensive services to minority residents across the nation, who disproportionately suffer from this epidemic. It is needed because it addresses the ethnic and racial disparities in rates of infection across the nation by creating an additional 50 million dollars into Ryan White grant budget, to provide comprehensive services to minority populations. It also addresses the current Medicaid funding restrictions in Puerto Rico that impairs its ability to provide the health care services that patients need to survive. Puerto Rico has the second highest AIDS death rate in the country and this funding deficiency forces the Puerto Rican government to shoulder nearly the entire burden at a time when it cannot meet the growing needs of the population. The HIV Emergency Local Partnership Act of 2007 lifts these restrictions, allowing the federal government to fund the island’s Medicaid budget. By signing on to this letter you will be showing your support and endorsement of the HIV Emergency Local Partnership of 2007 [H.R. 2736].

To call or write to your local Congress Member visit: http://www.house.gov/writerep

Deadline: Friday, August 24th

IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS

Read Bill H.R. 2736 Sign On Letter to be send to Congress Members Nydia Velazquez, Hilda Solis, Jose Serrano and Luis Fortuño [click here]

Read proposed Bill H.R. 2736 by Congress Members Nydia Velazquez, Hilda Solis, Jose Serrano and Luis Fortuño on June 15, 2007 [click here]

Read summary of Bill H.R. 2736 [word] [pdf]