National Council of Churches USA Urges Churches to Break the Silence on World AIDS Day

December 1, 2003, Washington, D.C. -- On World AIDS Day today (Dec. 1) in Washington, D.C., interfaith leaders held a vigil at the U.S. Treasury building and press conference at the Old Ebbitt Grill to send a prophetic, moral call to President Bush and Treasury Secretary John Snow for greater leadership on global AIDS and debt.

In letters addressed to both Snow and Bush, leaders call for an increase in funding to at least $5.4 billion for global AIDS, TB and malaria in the President's ‘05 budget request along with full debt cancellation for impoverished nations in order free up resources to fight the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Leaders specifically urged the Bush administration to live up to the promises made in the President’s State of the Union address around global AIDS.

Brenda Girton-Mitchell was among religious leaders addressing the news conference. Read her statement.