{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://robinkelly.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-barbara-lee-announces-rep-robin-kelly-will-lead-fight-reauthorize", "Rep. Barbara Lee Announces Rep. Robin Kelly will Lead Fight to Reauthorize PEPFAR Next Congress", "2024-12-18", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Robin L. Kelly", "K000385", "robinkelly.house.gov", "robinkelly", "https://robinkelly.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington \u2013 Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-12), co-chair and co-founder of the Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus, today reintroduced legislation to extend the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR. Rep. Lee also announced that Congresswoman Robin Kelly (IL-02) will lead the fight to reauthorize PEPFAR in the 119th Congress.\n\n\u201cI am honored to carry Congresswoman Lee\u2019s legacy into next Congress and save lives from HIV and AIDS. She laid out a roadmap in PEPFAR to combat this epidemic in countries worldwide, and we must continue to fund this critical program,\u201d said Rep. Kelly. \u201cCongresswoman Lee, a mentor to many legislators, has proven that great progress can be achieved in the fight to reduce the prevalence of HIV and AIDS. As the US further engages in the global effort against HIV and AIDS, I look forward to working with advocates to reauthorize one of the world's most successful health programs.\"\n\n\u201cUnder the leadership of Representative Robin Kelly, I am confident that we will achieve the robust federal funding and the substantial investments that we need to end the HIV and AIDS pandemic for everyone, everywhere,\u201d said Rep. Lee.\n\nLee worked with President George W. Bush and a broad community of activists, community leaders and clinicians to establish PEPFAR in 2003. Since its inception, PEPFAR has been critical in the fight against HIV and AIDS and has been credited with saving over 25 million lives.\n\n\u201cThanks to PEPFAR, millions of lives have been saved through HIV/AIDS treatment, care, and education. But Congress must recommit to this fight,\u201d said Rep. Lee. \u201cFor over 20 years, PEPFAR has been a testament to the bipartisan cooperation on U.S. leadership in global public health. We are so close to ending the HIV/AIDS pandemic; we can\u2019t stop until we defeat AIDS for everyone, everywhere. As many around the world still do not have the resources and care they need, Congress must do the important work to protect and reauthorize PEPFAR. I am optimistic that the 119th Congress will again find the bipartisan will to extend PEPFAR\u2019s lifesaving work. We have an obligation not only to millions of AIDS patients across the globe, but to the activists, advocates, clinicians, and implementers who have worked tirelessly to create and sustain this program and keep it fully funded.\u201d\n\n\u201cPEPFAR represents the very best of American leadership,\u201d said Congressman Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. \u201cAs a result of over 20 years of bipartisan commitment, 25 million lives have been saved, and an AIDS-free generation is within our reach. Reauthorizing PEPFAR for another five years demonstrates the American people\u2019s generosity and our commitment to global health and ending HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.\u201d\n\nThis clean reauthorization would extend the PEPFAR program for five years. Since its inception in 2003, PEPFAR has invested over $110 billion in countries all over the world to prevent infections, strengthen global health security, combat stigma, and achieve an AIDS-free generation by 2030.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://robinkelly.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-barbara-lee-announces-rep-robin-kelly-will-lead-fight-reauthorize"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5692138113081455, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}