Kerry's Lift HIV travel ban bill is inching its way toward passage (Very historic!)

[beachmom]

http://www.gaycitynews.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19388397&BRD=2729&PAG=461&dept_id=569342&rfi=6

Massachusetts Democrat John Kerry is leading the Senate effort to overturn the ban on the entry or immigration of HIV-positive people into the US.

HIV Travel Ban May Die
By: PAUL SCHINDLER
03/13/2008

Federal government policy that for more than 20 years has barred nearly all travel and immigration into the United States by HIV-positive individuals may finally be overturned if legislation working its way through the Senate is approved by both houses of Congress and signed by President George W. Bush.

In a press conference call convened on March 11 by the Human Rights Campaign, the Capitol Hill gay lobby, Massachusetts Democratic Senator John Kerry and California Representative Barbara Lee, also a Democrat, spoke confidently about the prospects for such an amendment being added to the reauthorization of PEPFAR, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, Bush's global HIV initiative.

According to Kerry, the HIV Non-Discrimination in Travel and Immigration Act, which he introduced in tandem with Oregon Republican Gordon Smith late last year, will be added as an amendment to the PEPFAR reauthorization legislation, with the agreement of the two ranking members of the Foreign Relations Committee, Democrat Joe Biden of Delaware, the chair, and Republican Richard Lugar of Indiana.

Kerry said that Bush administration officials have kept up with developments on the legislation and that he is confident the president would support the amendment if it arrived on his desk.

This is almost one of those under the radar stories. Until it passes and Bush signs it. This is incredible, and fantastic that it is happening.

[karynnj]

1. Wow - we join the first world on this issue

I am amazed that they got agreement with the Bush administration on this.

[blm]

2. This should be a good post for GD and GLBT forums.

It would be a nice departure - some good news that matters.

[MBS]

3. good for Kerry!

Boy, it's hard to keep up with this guy-- I keep returning to this persistent image of a Jedi knight with multiple light sabers, doing good on all fronts.

[beachmom]

4. It passed the SFRC 18 - 3! It is an AIDS bill Bush supports with Kerry's amendment attached.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jb7JQ6VIFJu7UQB0ElCfWnkvUAGwD8VCOFG00

Senate Panel Acts on AIDS Bill
By JIM ABRAMS – 4 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday approved the spending of $50 billion over the next five years to combat the health crises posed by AIDS and other diseases in Africa and elsewhere in the world.

The 18-3 committee vote comes two weeks after the House Foreign Affairs Committee endorsed a similar bill.

President Bush, chief advocate of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief that began five years ago, backed the House bill and the legislation appears to be on course to becoming one of the few major achievements of Congress in a highly partisan election year.

...

Included in the Senate bill was a measure introduced by Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., to lift a travel ban, enacted in 1987 and reinstated in 1993, on people with HIV entering the United States. There is a waiver option, Kerry said, "but the process is incredibly restrictive."

[wisteria]

5. This is a good bipartisan effort. I am pleased that Sen. Kerry has some involvement in this bill. n/

[JI7]

6. this is great

i want to get rid of all of these laws that are based on bigotry ,ignorance etc.