U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole tried to name an AIDS bill after former Sen. Jesse Helms.
The Salisbury Republican introduced an amendment to add Helms' name to the title of a $50 billion bill to combat AIDS as well as malaria and tuberculosis in Africa. The amendment never came up for a vote.
Helms went through a personal evolution on AIDS policy.
As a deeply conservative senator, he often drew the ire of gay activists for opposing needle exchanges and saying that all AIDS cases could be traced to sodomy. Late in his Senate career, he changed his view on foreign relief programs and teamed with Irirsh rock star Bonot to work on AIDS relief.
After the Huffington Post reported on the amendment attempt, word spread through the blogosphere, with many citing Helms' quotes and record on AIDS policy.
A Dole spokesman said the amendment wasn't considered because it was introduced too late. (N&O)
Comments
Re: Dole fails to rename bill for Helms
July 17, 2008 - 8:11am — terri77We wouldn't want to be the laughingstock of the next Colbert Report, would we? Honestly, how can anyone as old as Dole forget Helms' full history regarding AIDs? I appreciate his late support, but it doesn't make up for the years and years of deliberate refusal to help. Remember Ryan White?