Despite Outcry, Bush AIDS Office Gutted
Tuesday, 3 April 2001

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WASHINGTON -- In early February, the Bush administration was thrown into a very public and highly embarrassing scramble over published reports that the White House intended to abolish executive level offices on AIDS and race relations.

On February 7, after a confused morning of contradictory statements following an article outlining the move in USA Today, the White House was forced to issue a statement intended to reassure the public on the Bush administration's continuing commitment to keeping the offices on AIDS and race relations open.

"We're concerned about AIDS inside our White House," George W. Bush told reporters after a presentation pushing his tax cut scheme. "Make no mistake about it."

Less than one month after that embarrassing debacle, however, the Washington Post reports the only thing left of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy is a Web site directing callers to an empty office with a telephone that no one answers.

The newspaper reports the 35-member Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS is not sure if it still exists. The Post says four letters seeking clarification from its chairman, Ronald Dellums, to Bush and the Health and Human Services secretary, Tommy Thompson, have so far gone unanswered.

The interdepartmental task force on AIDS has yet to meet.

"At a time when statistics show AIDS is ravishing the African-American community, the Bush administration needs to show this issue is a priority," said the Human Rights Campaign's Winnie Stachelberg in February. The response from the Bush White House, so far, has shown precisely the opposite.

Citing several sources, The Post says AIDS activists, members of Congress, foreign governments and international institutions are expressing growing unease and agitation over evidence of official and methodical disengagement on the issue of AIDS policy.

-- Editor