Sean Cahill, Gay Men's Health Crisis, Public Policy, Research And
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HIV/AIDS in the 2008 U.S. Presidential Campaign: Research and Analysis Raise Awareness of Critical Policy Issues Sean Cahill, Gay Men’s Health Crisis, Public Policy, Research and Community Health, New York, United States David Ernesto Munar, AIDS Foundation of Chicago, Policy and Communications, Chicago, United States Topic: E2. Influencing policy development and policies Cross-cutting theme: 5. “Do the right thing” and evidence-informed policies and programmes Issue: Under the Bush-Cheney Administration HIV incidence has increased among gay and bisexual men, and continues at high rates among other African American and Latino men and women. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control are announcing soon that annual new diagnoses are likely 50% higher than previously thought. Half of new infections occur among gay men and other men who have sex with men. Blacks and Latinos comprise two thirds of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), far disproportionate to their share of the population. Women are 27% of PLWHA, and AIDS is the leading cause of death for Black women ages 25–34. The next U.S. president must refocus energy on the domestic epidemic. Description: The Campaign to End AIDS, the AIDS Foundation of Chicago, Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC), Housing Works, AIDS Action, and Health GAP sent a nonpartisan 19-question AIDSVote.org survey to all candidates. GMHC also examined voting records, news articles, campaign websites and debate transcripts to determine candidates’ positions. Barak Obama Hillary Clinton Mitt Romney John McCain Mike Huckabee Bill Richardson TiMElinE July – September 2007 Groups developed a 19 question survey which was sent to the 16 Presidential Candidates (8 Democrats, 8 Republicans) running at the time. Questions addressed five main topics — prevention, treatment & care, civil rights for people living with HIV/AIDS and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, the global epidemic, and the need for a national AIDS strategy in the U.S. August – October 2007 GMHC staff researched each candidate to determine their views and beliefs on a variety of HIV/AIDS issues. September – October 2007 Questionnaires were returned from seven candidates and summarized on AIDSVote.org: six Democrats (all except Senators Dodd and Gravel) and one Republican, Governor Mike Huckabee. november 2007 Where Do They Stand? The Gay Men’s Health Crisis Report on the 2008 Presidential Candidates and HIV/AIDS was published in coordination with the launch of AIDSVote.org. September 2008 GMHC will release an updated report on the Democratic and Republican Presidential and Vice Presidential By Daryl J. Cochrane, MPA and Kristin D. Goodwin, MSW nominees. Lessons Learned: The responses and analysis illuminate several differences between Democratic and the Republican candidates. All eight Democrats support comprehensive sex education, whereas seven of the eight Republicans oppose it. McCain supports abstinence-only-until-marriage funding, while Obama wants to end federal funding for this antigay, sexist, and inaccurate program. Seven Democrats, including Clinton and Obama, support syringe exchange; no Republican does. Five Democrats support lifting the ban on HIV-positive travelers and immigrants from entering the U.S. Most Republicans either oppose lifting the ban or have not declared a position. One issue receiving bipartisan support is the question of a national AiDS strategy. Five Democrats and Republican Governor Mike Huckabee support creating and implementing a national AIDS strategy to address HIV/AIDS in the U.S. The survey and report represented an opportunity to educate candidates and voters on important HIV/AIDS issues. WHERE THE CANDIDATES STAND ON HIV/AIDS ISSUES WHERE THE CANDIDATES STAND ON HIV/AIDS ISSUES A QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE A QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE DEMOCRATS REPUBLICANS Biden Clinton Dodd Edwards Gravel Kucinich Obama Richardson Giuliani Huckabee Hunter McCain Paul Romney Tancredo Thompson National AIDS Strategy* ? � ? � ? � � � National AIDS Strategy* ? � ?????? Early Treatment for Early Treatment for ? � � � � � � � ? �� � � � ? � � HIV Act (ETHA) HIV Act (ETHA) Microbicide Development Act � � � � ? � � � Microbicide Development Act ?? � � � ? � ? Comprehensive Sex Education � � � � � � � � Comprehensive Sex Education ��� � � � � � � Ending funding for Ending funding for ??? � ? � � ? ??? � ???? abstinence-only-until-marriage abstinence-only-until-marriage Prison HIV Prevention ? � ? � ? � � � Prison HIV Prevention ????? � ?? Syringe exchange � � � � ? � � � Syringe exchange ?? � ? �� � � ? Ryan White CARE Act � � � � � � � � Ryan White CARE Act ? �� ? �� ??? � Housing Opportunities for Housing Opportunities for � � ? � ? � � �� � ? � ? � ??? People with AIDS (HOPWA) People with AIDS (HOPWA) President’s Emergency Plan President’s Emergency Plan � � � � ? � � � ? �� ? � � ? �� ? for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) Signed the “Presidential Signed the “Presidential Pledge for Leadership on � � � � � � � � Pledge for Leadership on � � � � � � � � Global AIDS and Poverty” Global AIDS and Poverty” Debt cancellation and Debt cancellation and ? � ? � ?? � � ???????? patent licensing reform patent licensing reform Repeal of HIV entry ban � �� � � ? � � � Repeal of HIV entry ban ?? � � � �� � ? Employment Non-Discrimination � � � � � � � � Employment Non-Discrimination ? � � � � � � � Act (ENDA) Act (ENDA) Marriage equality � � � � � � � � Marriage equality � � � � � � � � Civil unions � � � � � � � � Civil unions � � � � � � � � Human Rights Campaign Human Rights Campaign 84 92 92 79 N/A 100 89 88 legislative scorecard average legislative scorecard average N/A N/A 1 27 13 N/A 10 15 KEY: � Supports � Does not support �� Mixed position ? Position unclear or not articulated KEY: � Supports � Does not support �� Mixed position ? Position unclear or not articulated * � Has committed to creating strategy � Has not committed to creating strategy (responses as of December 10, 2007) * � Has committed to creating strategy � Has not committed to creating strategy (responses as of December 10, 2007) Where Do They Stand? The Gay Men’s Health Crisis Report on the 2008 Presidential Candidates and HIV/AIDS Where Do They Stand? The Gay Men’s Health Crisis Report on the 2008 Presidential Candidates and HIV/AIDS Report authors: Daryl Cochrane and Kristin Goodwin Next Steps: Organizers will continue to engage both candidates and voters on HIV/AIDS policy. Our mission: GMHC fights to end the AiDS epidemic and uplift the lives of all affected. For more information: [email protected], [email protected] Gay Men’s Health Crisis, The Tisch Building, 119 West 24 Street, new York, nY 10011 HiV/AiDS Hotline: 1-800-243-7692 www.gmhc.org.