Atlanta Journal and Constitution (02.20.02) - Wednesday, February 20, 2002

"In the front line against bioterrosim, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stands tall, heralded and lauded by President Bush as 'new heroes in America.' Now, three months after heaping praise on the Atlanta-based agency, Bush has slashed the CDC budget for next year. In explanation, the administration says the stalled economy forced 'tough decisions.' But shortchanging the nation's premier disease- fighting agency is a bad decision that Congress ought to reverse when it considers the president's budget.

"Under the Bush plan, the CDC would receive $1 billion less in 2003 than 2002. Most of the additional bioterrorism-fighting money in the budget bypasses the CDC in favor of other federal agencies. Of the $5.9 billion Bush seeks to combat bioterrorism, only $1.6 billion goes to the CDC. One of the projects that the Bush budget will put on hold is a building to house the CDC's 24/7 Emergency Operations Center, now squeezed into an old, cramped auditorium.

"The Bush budget also undermines a central mission of the CDC - combating preventable diseases. Funding for the division that deals with infectious diseases was decreased by $10 million. The proposal provides no boost for preventive health efforts for the specific divisions working on AIDS, tuberculosis and sexually transmitted diseases.

'As terrible as the bioterrorism attack was, it resulted in five deaths - whereas we have probably close to 2 million deaths a year in the U.S. from chronic diseases and injuries, a significant proportion of which are preventable,' said CDC Director Jeffrey Koplan.

"...Touring the CDC in the fall, Bush described the agency's scientists as a critical unit in the 'vast army' fighting terrorism. If so, he ought to march them into battle fully armed and equipped to do their job."
020220
AD020308

Copyright © 2002 - Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD. The CDC National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention provides the following information as a public service only. Providing synopses of key scientific articles and lay media reports on HIV/AIDS, other sexually transmitted diseases and tuberculosis does not constitute CDC endorsement. This daily update also includes information from CDC and other government agencies, such as background on Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) articles, fact sheets, press releases and announcements. Reproduction of this text is encouraged; however, copies may not be sold, and the CDC HIV/STD/TB Prevention News Update should be cited as the source of the information. Contact the sources of the articles abstracted below for full texts of the articles.

AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Boehringer Ingelheim, Bridgestone/Firestone Charitable Trust, Elton John AIDS Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, AIDS Walk of Orange County, and donations from users like you.

AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.

Copyright ©1980, 2002. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content.