160 Organizations Lobby To End The HIV Travel Ban. The bill was co-sponsored by Kerry/Smith.

[beachmom]

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/07/160-organizatio.html#more

I think a vote in the House is coming up soon. Go to the link to read the letter, but look at the list of organizations that signed the letter:

ACT UP, Philadelphia, Paris
Alexian Brothers Bonaventure House
African American Health and Social Services
African Services Committee
AIDES (France)
AIDS Action
AIDS Alliance for Children, Youth & Families
AIDS Alliance for Faith and Health
AIDS Charitable Trust of New Mexico

AIDS Foundation of Chicago The AIDS Institute
AIDS Project Los Angeles
AIDS Services In Asian Communities
AIDS Services of Austin
AIDS Task Force of Greater Cleveland
AIDS Treatment Activists Coalition
AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition
Alliance for Microbicide Development
American Academy of HIV Medicine
American Civil Liberties Union
American Jewish World Service
American Medical Students Association
American Psychological Association
ANERELA+
Austin Health Center of Cook County
Australian Federation of AIDS Organizations
Being Alive People with HIV/AIDS Action Coalition
BIENESTAR
BiNET USA
Boston May Day Coalition
Boston Rosa Parks Human Rights Coalition
Breakthrough: building human rights culture
Bronx AIDS Services
Cable Positive
California Council of Churches IMPACT
Cascade AIDS Project
The Center for HIV Law and Policy
Central Illinois FRIENDS of People with AIDS
Central Louisiana AIDS Support Services, Inc.
Charleston AIDS Network
Chicago Foundation for Women
Chicago House and Social Service Agency
Clinicas De Salud del Pueblo, Inc.
Colorado Anti-Violence Project
Coloradans for Immigrant Rights
Compass, Inc.
Emerson Rojas-Project Coordinator
Empire Justice Center
Empire State Coalition of Youth and Family Services
Eternal Hope Community Development Corporation, Inc.
Gay and Lesbian Latino AIDS Education Initiative Gay Men’s Health Crisis
Global Action for Children
Global AIDS Alliance
Global Campaign for Microbicides
Global Fight Against AIDS, TB and Malaria
Global Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS
Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS
Haitian Centers Council, Inc.
Health GAP (Global Access Project), New York City
Hema Diagnostic Systems HIV/AIDS Services for African Americans in Alaska
HIVictorious
HIV Law Project
HIV Medicine Association
Hope and Health Center of Central Florida
House of Joseph II
Housing Works Human Rights Campaign
Hyacinth AIDS Foundation
Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota
Immigration Equality
Immigration Law Project, Fordham University School of Law
In This Together, Inc.
INdetectable
Interaction Law
International AIDS Empowerment
International AIDS Society
International Community of Women Living with HIV and AIDS

Integrated Minority AIDS Network, Inc.
International Rectal Microbicide Advocates
International Women’s Health Coalition
Kentucky Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
Kentucky Equal Justice Center
Kentucky HIV/AIDS Advocacy Action Group

Khush DC
Jamaica Plain Rapid Response Network
Lambda Legal
Latino Commission on AIDS
Lexington Fairness
Liberty Research Group
LIFE Foundation
Lifelong AIDS Alliance
Lowcountry AIDS Project
Mendocino County AIDS Volunteer Network
Metrolina AIDS Project
Michigan Equality
Michigan HIV/AIDS Council
The Ministry of Caring
My Brothaz Home, Inc.
National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors
National Association of People With AIDS
National Association of People With AIDS (Nepal)
National Center for Transgender Equality

National Council of Jewish Women
National Health Law Program
National Immigrant Justice Center
National Immigration Law Center
National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild
National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health
National Minority AIDS Council
New Mexico AIDS Services
New York AIDS Coalition
New York Trans Rights Organizations
Night Ministry (Chicago, IL)
Oklahoma State University Physicians
OneAmerica
Open Door Clinic
Open Society Policy Center
P.A.C.- Positive Advocacy Coalition
Parents, Famililes and Friends of Lesbians and Gays
Pediatric AIDS Chicago Prevention Initiative
Physicians for Human Rights Pierce County AIDS Foundation
Political Asylum Immigration Representation Project
Political Asylum Project of Austin
Power Inside, Baltimore, Maryland
POZ Magazine Project Inform
Project SMART
Public Health Division, City of Portland Maine
Queer People’s Health Collective
RESULTS USA
Richard’s Place
SafeGuards LGBT Health Resource Center
San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program, Inc.
San Francisco AIDS Foundation
San Mateo County AIDS Program Community Board
Search for a Cure
SisterLove, Inc.
South Asian Americans Leading Together
South Asian Network
Southwest Community Services, Inc. Spokane AIDS Network
Tahirih Justice Center
Terrence Higgins Trust
Title II Community AIDS National Network
Treatment Action Group
Triad Health Project United Methodist Church, General Board of Church & Society
Vermont CARES
Victorian AIDS Council
Voices of Hagar HIV/AIDS Health Ministry
The Wall Las Memorias
West Alabama American Red Cross
West O’ahu Hope For A Cure Foundation
Weingart Center Association
Whitman Walker Clinic Who’s Positive Women Organized to Respond to Life-Threatening Disease
The Women’s CenterThe Woodhull Freedom Foundation
YWCA USA



I think this is one of those bills, where you don't get a lot of political benefit; you're just doing the right thing. And credit given where credit is due to Republican Sen. Smith from Oregon.

[JI7]

1. this is very good, but Smith is up for re-election

i don't trust his motives. but it's a good thing either way to put an end to this.

[beachmom]

2. Yeah, I know, but in this case so what? He did the right thing, which

will always outlive his tenure as Senator. Plus, isn't he running on Obama's coattails? :)

[BlueIris]

3. Excellent. Thanks to JK, as always.

I'll throw in a grudging thanks to Smith, too, who can always be counted on to do useful things when he's feeling the heat of a possible loss.

[beachmom]

4. Call to Action from the GLBT forum:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=221&topic_id=79570&mesg_id=79570

http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/campaign/hivtravelban/3gnueb497e35dtx?

As your constituent, I'm writing to urge you to support the Kerry (D-MA)-Smith (R-OR) repeal of the ban on HIV-positive visitors and immigrants in the PEPFAR bill being considered by the Senate this week. I also urge you to vote against any attempt to strike this critical provision.

[MBS]

5. Andrew Sullivan comments on this. .

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/07/the-hiv-travel.html

. . Thanks go to many, many people, chiefly Senators Kerry and Smith, who made this a bipartisan priority. Gordon Smith proved how Republicans can reach out to those in genuine need, even if some are gay. All of us with HIV and with spouses or loved ones with the virus are in his debt. But also: Rob Epplin and Alex Nunez, Smith's and Kerry's amazing staffers, who made this possible.