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Democratic presidential candidate
Senator Hillary Clinton speaks to supporters during a campaign stop at the
Ankeny Campus of Des Moines Area Community College in Ankeny, Iowa, Nov.
28, 2007. Sen. Hillary on Thursday pressed for 50 billion U.S.
dollars for treatment, prevention and care of AIDS by 2013.
(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
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LOS
ANGELES, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Democratic presidential front-runner Sen. Hillary
Clinton on Thursday pressed for 50 billion U.S. dollars for treatment,
prevention and care of AIDS by 2013.
Calling AIDS a "plague of biblical proportions,"
Hillary said if elected, she will double the HIV/AIDS research budget within the
National Institutes of Health to 5.2 billion dollars annually, increase funding
for the global HIV/AIDS fight to at least 50 billion dollars by 2013, raise
funding for the Minority AIDS Initiative, and develop and implement a
comprehensive national AIDS strategy.
She spoke at the third annual Global Summit on AIDS
and the Church in Orange County near Los Angeles.
Hosted by pastor Rick Warren, author of the
best-selling devotional book, "The Purpose Driven Life," and his wife, the
summit was established to mobilize church resources to fight the disease.
"Around the world, AIDS remains a plague of biblical
proportions," she said, "In too many places, ignorance about AIDS prevails and
the stigma remains strong."
However, "we have come a long way," she added.
"Not only can we talk about AIDS in church, but
churches are leading the way," she said.
Hillary's leading rivals for the Democratic
presidential nomination, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama and former North Carolina
Sen. John Edwards, have made similar proposals.
In a video appearance, Obama said, "This is no
occasion to rest. Now's the time to step up our efforts so we can stay on the
offense to eliminate this disease."
Also appearing via satellite video were three
Republican candidates -- former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former Arkansas
Gov. Mike Huckabee and Arizona Sen. John McCain.
