AIDS Foundation of Chicago Applauds Passage of HOPWA Program Formula Change
February 3, 2016
We thank the U.S. House of Representatives for unanimously passing the Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS (HOPWA) program formula change in an amendment to the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act (H.R. 3700) yesterday. This much-needed change will modernize the manner in which the funding for HOPWA is distributed throughout the country.
While we praise the House for passing the bill, there’s more work to be done as the legislation and amendment head to the Senate for consideration. “We still need to call on the Senate to tackle this issue as soon as possible and urge the President to sign this legislation immediately. Given the political climate and upcoming elections we need to demand action and make sure this change to HOPWA gets through,” said Suraj Madoori, AIDS Foundation of Chicago’s associate director of the HIV Prevention Justice Alliance and Federal Policy.
“The security HOPWA provides to vulnerable families is a proven and effective tool in the fight against HIV/AIDS,” said Rep. Mike Quigley, who spoke on the House floor urging the bill’s passage. “Studies show individuals in stable housing have improved health, are less likely to transmit the virus, and are more likely to adhere to their medications and stay out of emergency rooms. But HOPWA’s outdated funding formula no longer reflects the current HIV epidemic and is leaving many Americans with HIV without the housing support they desperately need. It is time to change the HOPWA distribution formula from one based on cumulative HIV/AIDS cases to a formula based on current HIV/AIDS cases that reflect today’s needs.”
Thanks to all the legislators that voted to pass the HOPWA program formula change:
Mike Bost (R) (12th district)
Cheri Bustos (D) (17th district)
Danny K. Davis (D) (7th district)
Rodney L. Davis (R) (13th district)
Robert Dold (R) (10th district)
Tammy Duckworth (D) (8th district)
Bill Foster (D) (11th district)
Luis Gutierrez (D) (4th district)
Randy Hultgren (R) (14th district)
Robin Kelly (D) (2nd district)
Adam Kinzinger (R) (16th district)
Dan Lipinski (D) (3rd district)
Michael Quigley (D) (5th district)
Peter Roskam (R) (6th district)
Bobby Rush (D) (1st district)
Jan Schakowsky (D) (9th district)
Darin LaHood (R) (18th district)
John Shimkus (R) (15th district)
