Country Music Stars Support PEPFAR: Letter to Americans and our Congress

Today, some of country music's biggest stars along with the ONE Campaign and The 2030 Collaborative sent the attached letter to all members of Congress in support of PEPFAR. PEPFAR, President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, is the U.S. government's largest global health initiative focused a single virus: HIV/AIDS. Introduced by President George W. Bush in 2003 and authorized by former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, PEPFAR has saved more than 26 million lives to date. If Congress decides to cut funding for PEPFAR, people will not receive their medication. This will mean a rise in infection and death rates, reversing the current course to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic by 2030.

Read LETTER Here

About PEPFAR

· PEPFAR has helped save 26 million lives from HIV/AIDS – including nearly 8 million babies who were born HIV-free – and has given an entire generation the opportunity to thrive and live healthier lives. With 20 years of bipartisan support from US lawmakers and more than $100 billion invested, PEPFAR is the largest commitment by any nation to address a single disease in history.

· Following an executive order pausing US foreign assistance funding for 90 days, many PEPFAR implementers reported confusion about which services they could and could not provide, leading to program stoppages, inaccessibility of life-saving HIV medication, and disruptions to other necessary care. Without clarity, this confusion threatens unnecessary – and unacceptable – loss of life.

· PEPFAR operates in 50 countries around the world. A recent study found that, in a world without PEPFAR, AIDS deaths could increase by as much as 400%.

“PEPFAR is the ultimate example of American exceptionalism and compassion. If we back away from this historic, bipartisan commitment to those less fortunate, we are ceding ground to China who will fill the void in our absence. We are leaving the American people at greater risk of future pandemics, as our global health investments help contain local outbreaks and prevent dangerous, novel viruses from reaching our shores. And we are turning our back on a successful diplomatic strategy that has fostered unlikely allies, stabilized nations, and strengthened our place in the world.” – Senator Bill Frist, MD

PRESS

The Tennessean: Country music singers urge Congress to support PEPFAR and end AIDS epidemic

Christian Post: Evangelical mission doctor says ‘many will die’ if PEPFAR dismantled; Amy Grant, country artists speak out

Billboard: Country Stars Urge Congress to Renew AIDS Relief Program

SoapCentral.com: "This is the right thing to do": Country artists push Congress to renew AIDS relief program PEPFAR

Yahoo: Country Stars Urge Congress to Renew AIDS Relief Program

Politico Pro: Country Music Stars Ask Congress to Save Congress

The Daily Caller: Even Country Stars Aren’t Immune From Political Activism, Send Letter To Congress Over Aid

The George W. Bush Presidential Center: Global Health Update, March 27, 2025

MSN: Country Stars Urge Congress to Renew AIDS Relief Program

AOL: Even Country Stars Aren’t Immune from Political Activism, Send Letter to Congress over Aid

The Leaf Chronicle: Country Music Singers Urge Congress to Support PEPFAR and End AIDS Epidemic