AIDSVote.org,
an organization founded in 2003 to educate candidates and the public on
AIDS issues, last week posted the results of a survey of 2004 presidential
candidates, Gay.com/PlanetOut.com
reports. President Bush, who is running for re-election, and Democratic
presidential candidate Rev. Al
Sharpton were the only candidates who did not respond to the survey,
which was based on a model presidential platform endorsed by AIDS advocacy
organizations. All of the six Democratic candidates who responded -- Sens.
John Edwards
(N.C.), John Kerry
(Mass.) and Joe
Lieberman (Conn.), Rep. Dennis
Kucinich (Ohio), retired Army Gen. Wesley
Clark and former Vermont Gov. Howard
Dean -- indicated support for an increase in federal funding for the
Ryan White CARE Act and favored changing the federal government's ban on
funding for needle-exchange programs. All six respondents also indicated
that they opposed financial incentives to encourage abstinence-only sex
education programs and would lift the funding bans imposed by the so-called
"Mexico City" policy (Lisotta, Gay.com/PlanetOut.com, 1/27). The policy,
which is also known as the "global gag rule," bars U.S. money from international
groups that support abortion through direct services, counseling or lobbying
activities (Kaiser
Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 12/2/03). In addition, all of the candidates
indicated support for efforts to overturn a law barring HIV-positive foreigners
from entering the country (AIDSVote.org release,
1/22).
Question on NIH Research
The only issue included in the survey
upon which the candidates disagreed was federal investigations of peer-reviewed
research projects funded by NIH.
The question refers to a controversial investigation of research projects,
including HIV and sex-related research, that were considered "politically
sensitive," Gay.com/PlanetOut.com reports (Gay.com/PlanetOut.com, 1/27).
In what many said was a mix-up, a congressional staff member in October
2003 requested that NIH give information on a list of more than 200 grants
representing more than $100 million in funding instead of a shorter list
of 10 grants that conservative House members had questioned for several
months. The longer list was prepared by the Traditional
Values Coalition, which says it represents 43,000 churches nationwide.
As a result of the longer list being sent, NIH began calling researchers
whose grants were on the list as part of a report for Congress on broad
categories of grants (Kaiser
Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 10/30/03). In the survey, AIDSVote.org asked
whether the candidates would support "the investigation of approved, peer-reviewed
research projects" conducted through NIH. Edwards, Kerry, Lieberman and
Kucinich said "yes," while Clark and Dean said "no."
Response
Michael Kink of Housing
Works in New York said, "The candidates' responses illustrate their
understanding of the critical leadership role the White House must play
in the fight against AIDS," adding, "We hope this information will help
the electorate understand that critical role as well." AIDSVote.org supporters
and organizers were in New Hampshire on Monday in advance of Tuesday's
primary in an effort to draw attention to the international AIDS crisis
and domestic AIDS issues (Gay.com/PlanetOut.com, 1/27).
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