Senate approves $4.5B for Global HIV/AIDS: Better late than never?

*This post is co-authored by Michael BernsteinOn February 14th, the Senate voted 81-15 to approve a $463.5 billion spending resolution for FY07 that includes a $1.3 billion increase for international HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis programs (see my earlier post for the backstory). This resolution would bring the total for the PEPFAR to $4.5 billion. The Washington Post reports that the bill now goes to President Bush and it is likely that he will sign it. We look forward to seeing whether the increase in US foreign assistance for HIV/AIDS for FY07 will offset the delays in disbursing funding and how this may or may not affect PEPFAR focus countries, in particular. The HIV/AIDS Monitor's country-based research partners in Ethiopia, Mozambique, Uganda and Zambia are examining some of the following questions as part of their study on tracking Global HIV/AIDS funding in their countries:

• What was the impact, if any, of this delayed US budgeting process on PEPFAR recipients? Did recipients of PEPFAR funding have to delay/cancel expanding existing programs or starting new ones because of the delays in budgeting? Or will the money approved by Congress be expedited somehow so that funding recipients receive money in time to implement their work plans for this year according to original timelines?
• Have individual recipients been given guidance on how much, if any, additional money they may receive as a result of this funding increase? When do they expect to start receiving FY 2007 funding? How have they had to adjust their original plans for 2007 funding?