Letter To Obey

July 22, 2009

The Honorable David Obey
Chairman
House Appropriations Committee
U.S. Capitol
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Chairman Obey:

As organizations engaged in the fight against HIV/AIDS, we want to thank you for the historic vote on syringe exchange on July 17, 2009. Your decision to remove the federal ban in the FY10 appropriations bill was an important first step to a full repeal. It would not have happened without your leadership.

As you indicated in the committee debate, the “1000 foot rule” is deeply troubling. Particularly in dense urban areas, we’re concerned that entire cities would be off limits. Lifting the ban will save thousands of lives – but only if the services are available to the people who need them. We’re happy to work with you to revise this language and address concerns about the location of syringe exchange programs.

Again, thank you for your work on this issue.

Sincerely,

1. Advocates for Youth
2. AIDS Action Baltimore
3. AIDS Action Council
4. AIDS Foundation of Chicago
5. AIDS Partnership Michigan
6. AIDS Project Los Angeles
7. AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin
8. AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland
9. AIDS Treatment Activists Coalition
10. American Civil Liberties Union
11. American Medical Student Association
12. American Psychiatric Association
13. American Psychological Association
14. American Public Health Association
15. American Social Health Association
16. amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research
17. Association of Nurses in AIDS Care
18. Brothers Uplifting Brothers, Inc
19. CAEAR Foundation
20. CANN - Community Access National Network
21. Carepoint Adult Child and Family
22. Caring Ambassadors Program
23. Center for Health Policy and Innovation
24. CHAIN (Community HIV/Hepatitis Advocates of Iowa Network)
25. CityMatCH
26. Colorado AIDS Project
27. Community HIV/AIDS Mobilization Project (CHAMP)
28. Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, New York
29. District of Columbia HIV Prevention Community Planning Group
30. Drug Policy Alliance
31. FROST'D
32. Global Justice Ministry of Metropolitan Community Churches
33. Harlem United
34. Harm Reduction Coalition
35. Health GAP (Global Access Project)
36. Hepatitis Education Project
37. HIV Medicine Association
38. HIVictorious, Inc.
39. Housing Works
40. Human Rights Campaign
41. Infectious Diseases Society of America
42. Metropolitan Community Churches
43. Minnesota AIDS Project
44. National AIDS Fund
45. National Alliance of State & Territorial AIDS Directors
46. National Minority AIDS Council
47. National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable
48. Nebraska AIDS Project
49. North American Syringe Exchange Network
50. Northern Colorado AIDS Project
51. Open Society Policy Center
52. Partnership for Prevention
53. Physicians for Human Rights
54. Project Inform
55. The AIDS Institute
56. The Boulder County AIDS Project
57. The International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care
58. The National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA)
59. The National Latino HIV/AIDS Action Network (NLAAN)
60. The Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS)
61. Total Health Awareness Team
62. Trust for America's Health
63. Urban Coalition for HIV/AIDS Prevention Services
64. Vermont Global Health Coalition (VGHC)
65. Village Care of New York
66. Women's HIV Collaborative