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Corzine, Pallone Reaffirm Commitment to Providing AIDS Relief to India

January 21, 2005

Washington, D.C. --- U.S. Senator Jon S. Corzine (D-NJ) and U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ, founder of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, today announced their renewed commitment to providing AIDS relief to India. The announcement follows the New Jersey lawmakers visit last week to India and their meetings with U.S. and Indian officials regarding the current AIDS landscape in India.

While in New Delhi, Corzine and Pallone attended a briefing at the U.S. Embassy with representatives from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding India's response to the AIDS epidemic. Pallone also met with members of the Indo-U.S. Parliamentary Forum to discuss the Indian Parliament's efforts to elevate the profile of AIDS in India in order to increase awareness, prevention and funding for treatment.

"Over 5 million people in India are infected with HIV, a pandemic which is bordering on catastrophe," Corzine said. "Indias HIV/AIDS crisis is felt beyond its own borders and is heart breaking to those of Indian decent in New Jersey, the U.S. and throughout the world. This crisis requires an immediate infusion of international assistance including increased surveillance and monitoring to create a better understanding of the scope of the global AIDS crisis and accelerated training of medical personnel. I am proud to work with Congressman Pallone to make sure the U.S. provides leadership on this critical issue. I am also committed to working to make sure that members of New Jerseys Indian-American medical community who want to donate their services and expertise to this cause have the opportunity to do so."

"As the worlds largest democracy with a population of over one billion people, India now stands at a crossroads in its response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic," Pallone said. "I was heartened by the level of commitment expressed by my counterparts in the Indian Parliament to stopping the spread of this terrible disease. I am determined to parallel these efforts in the United States Congress."

During their meetings, Corzine and Pallone were encouraged to learn that that Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has pledged to continue efforts to expand prevention, provide treatment and criminalize discrimination against those affected by AIDS. The lawmakers also learned that Sonia Gandhi attended the International AIDS Conference in Bangkok in 2004, the first time a high-ranking Indian official had attended an international AIDS conference and an important symbolic gesture that further proves India's commitment to stopping the spread of the disease.

Last Congress, Corzine and Pallone introduced legislation calling on President Bush to include India as part of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a five-year, $15 billion dollar plan to combat international HIV/AIDS. Funding thus far has gone to 14 countries in Africa and the Caribbean and, last year, Congress mandated the Bush administration to select a 15th country in a new region of the world. Although Vietnam was named, the lawmakers have pledged to continue their efforts to have India named as part of this important initiative.

In addition, last year, Pallone, along with 21 of his House colleagues, sent a letter to the Chairmen and Ranking Democratic Members of the House International Relations and Energy and Commerce Committees calling on them to hold a hearing on the HIV/AIDS epidemic in India. Pallone announced plans to renew this effort early in the new Congress.