calls for increased funding from Congress

Labor.

“When we talk about ending HIV as a public health threat,” Phillips said, “we also want to end HIV such that it s not the defining characteristic for people living with HIV and that they can have access to housing, access to employment, good mental health and substance abuse treatment.”

Under Phillips’s leadership, data on these considerations for those living with HIV/AIDS will be measured for the first time with s rollout of new uality of life indicators in the National HIV/AIDS Strategy Federal Implementation Plan.

“There’s an indicator in there that’s self-reported quality of life,” Phillips said, which asks respondents to consider, “how do I feel?” This is important, he added, because people living with HIV may have positive lab results but still feel poorly.

Phillips advised those AIDSWatch participants who are slated to meet with members of Congress and their staffs after hosting a rally on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol Tuesday morning to “build a common bond” with lawmakers by emphasi ing the human impact of the appropriations funding for which they are advocating.

An AIDS United spokesperson told the Washington Blade by email Monday that 187 congressional meetings have been scheduled for Tuesday.

Phillips also noted that while “conversations need to happen in Washington, there’s also conversations that need to happen on the state and local level,” where we re finding a level of hate and stigma and discrimination that’s on course to try to either stop our progress or take us backwards.” he leader o the hite o se fce o ational olicy has asked or more nding to combat the disease. aws already on the books that criminali e the transmission of, or perceived exposure to, HIV and other infectious diseases,” the Movement Advancement Project writes, “create a strong disincentive for being tested for HIV, and result in adverse public health outcomes.”

Speaking before Phillips, Equality Federation Public Health Policy Strategist Mike Webb stressed the importance of policies under consideration by state and local lawmakers. “Our access to PrEP shouldn’t be based on a patchwork of laws by the states,” they said, and HIV-related legislative proposals in many cases would add criminali ing aspects.

Phillips and the Biden administration have made moderni ing or repealing those laws a top priority.

CHRISTOPHER KANE