Overview

• Congress approved a substitute amendment on July 15 that removes PEPFAR from the broader rescissions package in the 2026 budget bill
• The program’s $7.5 billion annual budget will allocate 86 percent to direct HIV/AIDS treatment, serving more than 18 million beneficiaries across roughly 40 countries
• Recent adjustments trimmed non-essential ideological initiatives like LGBTQ+ education and capacity building and upheld a State Department policy restricting prevention drugs to pregnant and breastfeeding women
• Secretary of State Marco Rubio secured $1.3 billion for anti-retrovirals, directing at least 60 percent of that funding toward drug procurement
• The White House urged international partners to increase their contributions to sustain global HIV/AIDS relief efforts