World Relief Praises PEPFAR Exemption in Recissions Package
Contact: wr@pinkston.co
(Baltimore, MD) July 16, 2025 – World Relief applauds the White House’s decision to exempt funding for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) from a proposed recissions package, saving vital lifesaving support stewarded for over two decades.
The proposed rescissions package, part of the White House’s broader budgetary strategy, aims to reduce federal spending by taking back unspent or unobligated funds from previously appropriated accounts. The $9.4 billion package included a proposed $400 million cut to PEPFAR, a reduction that would have undermined global HIV/AIDs treatment and preventative systems developed over the last 22 years since President George W. Bush signed it into law in 2003.
Since its launch, PEPFAR has proven to be one of the most successful foreign assistance initiatives of all time, rooted in the compassionate recognition of the human dignity of all people and enacted through American leadership. The program has helped save over 26 million lives by providing lifesaving HIV treatment, prevention and care to millions of people in some of the world’s most vulnerable communities. It has kept families intact, supported millions of orphans, restored health and dignity to those affected and offered hope where there was once despair. The success of PEPFAR stands as a powerful example of how bipartisan action can uphold the value of every human life and bring healing and opportunity to communities around the world, a case that World Relief Director of Government Relations Chelsea Sobolik made in an Op-Ed published this morning in The Hill.
“We’re grateful for the bold leadership of U.S. Senators across partisan lines in affirming the value of PEPFAR, and for the White House’s decision to exempt it from these cuts,” said Emily Chambers-Sharpe, Director of Health & Nutrition for World Relief’s International Programs. “We remain alarmed by some of the other cuts to lifesaving humanitarian assistance still included in this rescissions package and urge the Congress and White House to protect America’s tradition of generosity to people facing great crises.”
Despite the praiseworthy protections being offered to PEPFAR, the bill still includes hundreds of millions of dollars of cuts to other foreign assistance programs. The bill does not give specific details about these further cuts, even though that is the typical recissions process. The broad categories of cuts include funding for global health and response to disasters. These cuts could lead to lives being lost to diseases like tuberculosis and malaria or to outbreaks of cholera and other preventable diseases. Further reductions in assistance to refugees and others who have been forcibly displaced from their homes could leave many vulnerable families, including those fleeing persecution on account of their faith, without support. As Christians who believe that each human life is precious, made with dignity in God’s image, we’ll continue to advocate for this vital assistance.
“We’re thankful for the many Christians who have used their voices to advocate for PEPFAR in recent days, making telephone calls and sending emails to their congressional offices,” noted Matthew Soerens, Vice President of Advocacy and Policy at World Relief. “It’s clear that many Senators’ offices were listening to these constituents’ perspectives, and I’m especially grateful for the leadership of Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Susan Collins.”
As the Senate approaches a final vote on the bill, World Relief has prepared easy-to-use tools to help individuals to reach out to their congressional offices to encourage them to preserve the life-saving work done by the United States across the world.