American Civil Liberties Union

Annually, nearly 8,000 people in the United States contract HIV/AIDS and approximately 12,000 people contract the hepatitis C virus directly or indirectly from sharing contaminated syringes. Syringe exchange programs are proven to be cost-effective and lifesaving, do not promote drug use, and provide a conduit to primary health care for hard to reach populations. For the first time since 1989, the Labor, Health and Human Services subcommittee has removed the ban on federal funding of syringe exchange programs from the FY 2010 Appropriations bill. We thank the subcommittee for its leadership in using science-based research to bring an end to the decades-old ban. As organizations dedicated to the eradication of HIV/AIDS and advocacy on behalf of those infected and affected by the epidemic, we strongly urge the full Appropriations Committee to support the Labor, Health and Human Services subcommittee in its decision to remove the ban. Further, we urge you to vote against any amendment that would reinstate the federal ban or put further restrictions on syringe exchange.