One reason why our government doesn't work
I just got an email from Joe Carter at the Family Research Council (also of The Evangelical Outpost). Joe sent out a link to this story on the FRC blog about how funding was pulled from an infant HIV testing program, funding which was already in place in the federal budget. This language was included in a resolution attached to the Senate appropriations bill.
(b) None of the funds appropriated by this division may be used to: (1)
implement section 2625 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.
300ff-33; relating to the Ryan White early diagnosis grant program)…
Is there a reason? Who knows? One of the reasons why our government doesn't work anymore is because of things like this. Nobody knows who put this in the bill. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) tried to amend the bill to restore the funding, but Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) would not allow it. It's this kind of secrecy that shows us that our politicians are not there to help their constituents, they are there to consolidate their own power.
From what little I've read of the grant program, it seems to be money well spent. Here's some more information about it.
Every year thousands of babies, predominately from poor
African-American families, are born at risk of developing HIV. Many of
these children develop HIV related infections that could have easily
been prevented by prenatal testing and treatment. States that have
implemented HIV testing for infants have seen their infections rates
drop dramatically. Such success even inspired Congress to pass the Ryan
White Early Diagnosis Grant Program. The program authorized $30 million
in funding to states with infant HIV testing in order to ensure that
these vulnerable children are protected.
Hopefully we can find out who decided this wasn't a good idea.