WASHINGTON, D.C. (WIVB) - - The Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, praised the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations today for approving an important provision to repeal our nation's discriminatory travel and immigration ban on HIV positive individuals. The provision was secured by Senators John Kerry (D-MA) and Gordon Smith (R-OR) and is part of the Senate's legislation to reauthorize PEPFAR, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. The underlying legislation, authored by Senators Joe Biden (D-DE) and Richard Lugar (R-IN), now moves to the Senate floor, however a date has not yet been determined.
"We appreciate the support by the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and now urge the full Senate to repeal this unjust and sweeping policy that deems HIV positive individuals inadmissible to the United States," said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. "There remains no public health rationale for treating HIV more harshly than other communicable diseases. This draconian policy must end."
In December of 2007, Senators Kerry and Smith introduced legislation, the HIV Non-Discrimination in Travel and Immigration Act (S.
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