"Advocacy Groups Urge Congress to Renew $1 Billion in PEPFAR Funding for Global HIV/AIDS Work"

Republicans have delayed over $1 billion in funding for the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a global HIV program credited with saving over 25 million lives. The funding delay stems from a political fight around abortion, with conservative advocacy groups claiming that PEPFAR is inadvertently funding abortions overseas. Republicans have placed holds on notifications required for allocating funds to PEPFAR, objecting to language related to abortion, transgender people, and sex workers. The funding delays threaten PEPFAR's ability to continue its lifesaving work, and public health experts are urging swift reauthorization of the program to protect it from political pressures.