American Civil Liberties Union

ACLU urges Congress to treat HIV/AIDS like other communicable diseases as part of PEPFAR <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: 202-675-2312, media@dcaclu.org

<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Washington, DC – Today the U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote on a bill to reauthorize the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program, a presidential initiative to combat the global HIV/AIDS epidemic.  Since the House is taking up the Senate bill, it will go straight to the president for signature.  The American Civil Liberties Union strongly supports a PEPFAR provision ending the ban on HIV-positive travelers and immigrants and opposes any efforts on the House floor to strike this provision.

The following can be attributed to Joanne Lin, ACLU Legislative Counsel:

“HIV/AIDS is singled out in our laws as a basis for barring visitors and immigrants to the United States.  Congress should treat HIV/AIDS like other diseases.  

“The ban on HIV/AIDS travelers is discrimination plain and simple.  Ignorance gave the 20-year discriminatory ban on HIV/AIDS travelers its longevity.  Now we know better.  The ban serves no other purpose than to stigmatize people.  We need to update our policies to reflect the latest science.”

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