Panel Drops Ban on Needle-Exchange Funds

[babylonsister]

Panel Drops Ban on Needle-Exchange Funds

A House Appropriations subcommittee Friday endorsed a massive fiscal 2010 spending bill for labor, health and education programs that omits a longstanding ban on funding for needle-exchange programs.

The draft Labor-HHS-Education spending bill, approved by voice vote, would provide $160.7 billion in discretionary spending, $52 million less than Obama requested and $5.6 billion more than enacted last year.

Republicans were upset that the bill would drop the current ban on using federal funds in the bill for needle-exchange programs, which are designed to reduce the transmission of AIDS and other diseases among drug users. But Appropriations Chairman David R. Obey , D-Wis., said science has shown that needle exchange programs, when coupled with comprehensive prevention strategies, can reduce the rate of HIV infections and do not promote drug use.

“The judgment we make in this bill is that it is time to lift this ban and let state and local jurisdictions determine if they want to pursue this approach,” Obey said.

The draft bill also continues Democrats’ slow march away from abstinence-only sex education, which House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif., has said she wants to eliminate completely.

more...

http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=5&docID=cqmidday-000003163331

[CrownPrinceBandar]

1. Good deal!...........

Sounds like a step in the right direction.

[pinto]

2. Good news. I'm glad to see Obey, in Appropriations, support this. See also below -

:thumbsup:

[pinto]

6. HR 179 (Community AIDS and Hepatitis Prevention Act) alive in Waxman's Committee, 116 Co-sponsors

Community AIDS and Hepatitis Prevention Act - Provides that nothing shall prohibit the use of federal funds to establish or carry out a program of distributing sterile syringes to reduce the transmission of bloodborne pathogens, including the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and viral hepatitis.

H.R.179

Title: To permit the use of Federal funds for syringe exchange programs for purposes of reducing the transmission of bloodborne pathogens, including HIV and viral hepatitis.

Sponsor: Rep Serrano, Jose E. (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (116)

ALL ACTIONS: 1/6/2009:
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

see:

http://thomas.loc.gov

search criteria = HR 179

Being in a full committee, under Rep. Waxman's leadership, this stands a better chance than the last time it was introduced. IIRC, it languished in a sub-committee in 2007. ~ pinto

[dionysus]

3. wasn't there a thread yesterday accusing O of purposefully spreading disease by... oh wait. this is

DU, of course that's not possible...

[babylonsister]

4. Why,yes there was, and that's not the first time I've seen that

'fact' promoted here. So, seems he had nothing to do with it. Imagine that! ;)

[dionysus]

5. why, you could knock me over with a feather that this could happen here

:hi:

[alcibiades_mystery]

8. OBAMA SUPPORTS NEEDLESS DEATH AND DISEASE!!!!!

See the delicious goodness HERE: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8518837

When the "critics" wonder why the "cheerleaders" can't take their bullshit seriously, they need look no further than the rank stupidity and know-nothing viciousness of that classic thread.

[Cha]

14. You call them "critics" I call them

disingenuous bullshitters.

I was thinking about that thread when I saw this one..it really pissed me off.

Fuck their faux poutrage with freakin' lies.

[Adelante]

17. I don't even start reading some topics until a few days have passed

If it looks like a bright shiny object, I skip the initial threads or hide them if they are numerous. The knee-jerkery on DU has become endemic and to waste time worrying before the facts come in isn't something I do anymore.

[RaleighNCDUer]

7. Somebody realized that a .10 cent needle is cheaper than years

of medical care and anti-HIV drugs?

Amazing.

[pinto]

10. Syringe exchange programs have been around for years. Legalization has taken time.

Your point is right - it's cheaper from a public health point of view to exchange sterile works for used works.

[Warren Stupidity]

9. Wait! We haven't infected them all with HIV and HEPC yet!

I'm sure valiant efforts will be made to keep the ban in place until the work is done.

[pinto]

11. I realize your post was meant as sarcasm. I just want to note - this has been an uphill struggle.

From underground exchanges, to semi-legal exchanges, to locally sanctioned exchanges, to state-wide legal exchanges. Coupled with sound research and data to back up the benefits, personally and socially, for safe, legal exchange we expect to continue our progress.

In many instances local government, health departments, law enforcement and the public at large support syringe exchange.

[Warren Stupidity]

12. I just get repeatedly stunned by the stupidity of it all.

We've known for almost 30 years about HIV and HEPC transmission through needles, known for the same amount of time that simply providing clean needles in an exchange program without any legal risk to the clients will reduce transmission rates through needle contamination to near zero, and at the same time provide valuable epidemiological data to researchers, if desired, and the stunningly stupid people in charge continue to stall implementation on a national level.

Sorry if anyone misconstrued my post.

[pinto]

13. I hear you.

:thumbsup:

[RaleighNCDUer]

15. That's because junkies are less than wholly human and deserve whatever

they get from their illicit activities.

Reagan believed the same thing about gays in the 80s, and condemned tens of thousands to death by blocking AIDS research.

I really HATE moralists.

[Occam Bandage]

16. So, is this what "Obama supporting needless death and disease" looks like?

[Peacetrain]

18. Excellent

[Uzybone]

19. Poor Obama, crying now that there is no more NEEDLESS DEATH AND DISEASE!