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Urgent Alert, Immediate Action Requested
Military Plans to Dismantle Dept. of Defense (DoD) U.S. AIDS Research Pro=
gram
Background:
Since 1988, the Department of Defense (DoD) has maintained an AIDS resear=
ch =
program structured to take advantage of the military's unique capabilitie=
s and =
study population, to provide HIV-infected military personnel with access =
to =
cutting edge treatment, and to fulfill the military's obligation to addre=
ss a =
pandemic that threatens both US and worldwide stability. This year the =
President's budget request for DoD AIDS research was only $9.6 million, a=
sharp =
decrease from the 1995 funding level of $33 million. The military manage=
ment =
has begun dismantling clinical domestic research and plans to shift 1996 =
funding =
to preventive vaccine work in Thailand. The prevailing rationale for the=
change =
in priority has been expressed in military interdepartmental memoranda wh=
ich =
state that once a service member is HIV infected, that person is a casual=
ty and =
of limited use to the force. The claim is that even early disease interv=
ention =
research does not relate to military readiness.
Why should the military continue its AIDS research program?:
=B7 There are over 7,000 HIV infected personnel on active military duty=
and =
another 4,000 HIV positive reserve and National Guard members. Without a=
=
clinical research program, active duty service persons would have little,=
if =
any, access to clinical trials and, therefore, little or no access to cut=
ting =
edge experimental treatments.
=B7 There are aspects of the HIV/AIDS military research program that ar=
e unique =
and critical to the overall HIV research effort. Loss of the studies, st=
udy =
population, and unique capabilities will result in loss of data vital to =
the =
effort to develop effective therapies for AIDS and ultimately a cure.
=B7 While the objective of developing a preventive vaccine is important=
and =
certainly relevant to military function, clinical research is also milita=
rily =
relevant. The military focuses on early intervention research. Clinical=
trials =
exploring the possibility of long-term viral suppression, if successful, =
could =
allow HIV-infected individuals to complete a full military career.
What you can do:
Congress still has the ability to fund AIDS research at the DoD in spite =
of the =
President's budget request. With the apparent shift in the ideology conc=
erning =
AIDS research in the military, Congress may have to ensure that 33% of th=
e =
budget continues to support domestic clinical research. That mandate can=
be =
included with the budget allocation or appropriation. Your Representativ=
es and =
Senators need to hear that you support the AIDS research program at the =
Department of Defense. If your elected official appears on the following=
target =
list, he or she has some direct control over the DoD appropriations proce=
ss. If =
he or she does not appear on the list, write requesting support for AIDS =
research at DoD and suggest they talk with their colleagues regarding the=
=
importance of the issue. The House of Representatives plans to take up d=
efense =
appropriations as early as 6/27. Call or fax your representative in orde=
r to =
reach them in time. Senators can receive a regular letter (See Attachmen=
t).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------=
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Contact information for U.S. Representatives and Senators, call:
Capitol Switchboard: Senate Inquiries 202-224-3121
House Inquiries 202-225-3121
House Appropriations Subcommittee on National Security
Zip + Four Tel. (202)
C.W. Bill Young (R-Fla, 10th), Chair 20515-0910 225-5765
Joseph M. McDade (R-Pa, 10th) 20515-3810 225-3731
Bob Livingston (R-La, 1st) 20515-1801 225-3015
Jerry Lewis (R-Ca, 1st) 20515-0540 225-6498
Joe Skeen (R-NM, 2nd) 20515-3102 225-2365
David L. Hobson (R-Oh, 7th) 20515-3507 225-4324
Henry Bonilla (R-Tx, 23rd) 20515-4323 225-4511
George R. Nethercutt, Jr., (R-Wa, 5th) 20515-4705 225-2006
Mark W. Neumann (R-Wis, 1st) 20515-4901 225-3031
John Murtha (D-Pa, 12th), Ranking 20515-3812 225-2065
Norman D. Dicks (D-Wa, 6th) 20515-4706 225-5916
Charles Wilson (D-Tx, 2nd) 20515-4302 225-2401
W.G. (Bill) Hefner (D-NC, 8th) 20515-3308 225-3715
Martin Olav Sabo (D-Fl, 5th) 20515-2305 225-4755
Senate Appropriations Subcommitte on Defense
Ted Stevens (R-Ak), Chair 20510-0201 224-3004
Thad Cochran (R-Miss) 20510-2402 224-5054
Arlen Specter (R-Pa) 20510-3802 224-4254
Pete V. Domenici (R-NM) 20510-3101 224-6621
Phil Gramm (R-Tx) 20510-4302 224-4302
Christopher (Kit) Bond (R-Mo) 20510-2503 224-5721
Mitch McConnell (R-Ky) 20510-1702 224-2541
Connie Mack (R-Fl) 20510-0904 224-5274
Richard C. Shelby (R-Al) 20510-0103 224-5744
Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hi), Ranking 20510-1102 224-3934
Ernest F. Hollings (D-SC) 20510-4002 224-6121
J. Bennett Johnston (D-La) 20510-1802 224-5824
Robert C. Byrd (D-WV) 20510-4801 224-3954
Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt) 20510-4502 224-4242
Dale Bumpers (D-Ark) 20510-0401 224-4843
Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) 20510-3002 224-4744
Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) 20510-1502 224-3254
Thank you all for your support!
Stephen P. Perfetto
Henry M. Jackson Foundation
13 Taft Court, Suite 200
Rockville, MD 20850
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