By Crystal Swann
May 12, 2003

On May 1, the House passed HR 1298, the $15 billion package which authorizes international programs to combat HIV/AIDS by a vote of 375 to 41. The measure contains a mixture of direct aid to nations and contributions to global organizations while also encouraging abstinence, monogamy, and condom distribution as viable prevention methods. The abstinence provision was added through a floor amendment, as was an amendment that would guarantee that faith-based groups would not have to participate in condom distribution programs.

Other provisions of the bill would allow the administration to contribute up to $1 billion to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria and recipients of federal dollars would be encouraged to follow the ABC plan — "a" for abstinence, "b" for faithful and "c" for condom distribution — but a third of the funds would have to be directed toward abstinence programs, according to a breakdown in the May 3, 2003 issue of congressional quarterly magazine.

The bill will now either be considered by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee or as Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist wants, it could go straight to the Senate floor for a vote to meet the President's Memorial Day deadline for passage.