Trump, senators did the right thing agreeing to spare HIV/AIDS funding

I am a pro-life Christian, and I have spent my entire career working on public policies that touch the lives of vulnerable populations. For years, I worked for a House Freedom Caucus member on policies protecting the unborn and policies for orphans and vulnerable children, at home and around the world.

I am deeply grateful that, amid this week's recission negotiations, the White House agreed to exempt the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, commonly known as PEPFAR, from cuts in the recission package currently on the Senate floor.

The organization I work for, World Relief, is unashamedly pro-life. We are also deeply committed to the biblical vision that affirms the dignity and worth of every person as a bearer of God's image and likeness. These convictions compel us to speak out not only on behalf of the unborn but also for vulnerable mothers, children, and families around the world whose lives are sustained by U.S. global health investments.

Pro-lifers' convictions do not stop at birth, even if some would claim otherwise. We care deeply about the health and well-being of vulnerable mothers, children, and families. PEPFAR cares for them by providing antiretroviral treatment, HIV prevention services, and care for those affected by AIDS, especially the children of infected mothers. It helps ensure that children are born HIV-free, that mothers can live to raise their children, and that families can thrive instead of being torn to pieces by this disease. 

As an organization, we affirm every presidential administration’s right to review foreign assistance programs and ensure that ongoing initiatives and implementation are in alignment with the foreign policy objectives of the U.S. We also recognize that difficult fiscal decisions must be made in times of budgetary constraint.

President Trump’s administration has taken significant steps toward protecting human life before birth, including defunding Planned Parenthood for a year in the recent “Big Beautiful Bill” that he signed into law.

But when the rescissions package was proposed, we were concerned that the proposal overstated the urgency and scale of ideological concerns within programs like PEPFAR in order to justify a disproportionately large rollback of life-saving funding. If there were specific line items or grants within these global health programs that truly conflicted with pro-life or biblical values, we would support efforts to scrutinize and remove those elements. But the reality was that the total funding for the handful of programs raising concerns did not come anywhere close to the $8 billion in proposed cuts.

We are grateful that the White House and Senate exempted PEPFAR from these proposed cuts.

PEPFAR has saved more than 25 million lives since its inception. It has strengthened health systems and helped stabilize communities globally. This valuable program promotes maternal and child health, orphan care, and HIV/AIDS treatment — undeniably pro-life concerns. 

Faith-based organizations and ministries have been central to PEPFAR’s success, representing the most prolific providers of HIV services outside of the governments in many of the countries with which PEPFAR partners.

Faith communities also have a deeply rooted and trusted community presence. In most places, trusted messengers with access to those most in need of care is an essential prerequisite to effective delivery of life-saving messages about HIV prevention, care, and treatment.

Christ called his followers to care for the “least of my brothers.” The Bible repeatedly calls us to defend the vulnerable, the sick, and those without a voice. PEPFAR is a tangible example of living out that calling on a global scale. It is one of the most successful, life-affirming humanitarian programs in history, and it has bipartisan roots that reflect a shared moral responsibility to protect life.

I am grateful that Congress has approached PEPFAR funding with wisdom and discernment. I affirm Congress’s ability to restructure or reallocate where needed, but I urge every member to remember that PEPFAR reflects the American values of compassion, dignity, and support for human life from conception until natural death.  

Chelsea Sobolik is director of government relations for World Relief, a global Christian humanitarian organization and the largest Evangelical refugee resettlement in the U.S. She is the author of "Called to Cultivate: A Gospel Vision for Women and Work" and "Longing for Motherhood — Holding onto Hope in the Midst of Childlessness."