As an Episcopalian and a person of faith, I believe that the United States must acknowledge this year's World AIDS Day by maintaining its leading role in the fight against HIV and AIDS at home and abroad. Doing so reflects our nation's most foundational values, helps halt the cycles that prevent communities from lifting themselves out of poverty, and supports increased global peace and security. My church is dedicated to increasing global access to HIV and AIDS antiretroviral medicine, to preventing its spread, to providing care to those living with the virus, and to alleviating discrimination and stigma attached to living with HIV and AIDS. But our programs and initiatives rely on the United States government's financial and political leadership. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has taken that lead by boldly proclaiming her hope of achieving an "AIDS-Free Generation." Her ambitious goal is possible with the medicine and technologies we now have available. Unfortunately, funding for essential global health programs have been targeted for deep, disproportionate cuts. Fractional cuts to programs that provide emergency and comprehensive response to our global HIV and AIDS pandemic -which represent far less than 1 percent of our federal budget and have already absorbed deep and disproportionate cuts- would reverse promising trends and allow AIDS to claim millions more lives than it does today. As you and your colleagues in the Congress and the President Obama's Administration work to address our nation's financial challenges, please do not do so at the expense of U.S. programs that provide treatment, prevention techniques, care, and support to those afflicted by HIV and AIDS. We must support Secretary Clinton's bold goal by maintaining U.S. funding for PEPFAR, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, USAID HIV and AIDS programs, and the Global Fund. Your commitment to domestic and global health on this World AIDS Day and beyond is essential for making Secretary Clinton's hope for an AIDS-free Generation a reality.