Encouraging other members of the Republican party to extend the legislation for an additional five years.

The significance: Although promoting the approximate 25 million lives saved by the program in its 20-year history, the letter also emphasizes to Congress that PEPFAR is a valuable asset for the U.S. internationally as the country vies with China and Russia for power in Africa.

The letter states that stopping it suddenly would convey a negative message, implying that we are no longer capable of putting our political differences aside for the benefit of democracies and the world.

PEPFAR will persist regardless of reauthorization, as long as legislators allocate yearly funding for it.

Mark Dybul, the former leader of the initiative and a signatory of the letter, stated that this approach is insufficient.

At a Center for Strategic and International Studies event on Monday, he stated that it would mark the start of the end, as he believed that funding would gradually decrease.

What comes next? Prior to the removal of their House speaker and the beginning of their search for a new one three weeks ago, Republicans had to address the question.Michael McCaul

The chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee (R-Texas) stated that he and his colleagues were in the process of drafting a bill to prolong the PEPFAR program, potentially for a duration shorter than the usual five years.

In the Senate, Ben Cardin (D-Md.), chair of the Foreign Relations Committee, said in late September the limits

He consistently challenged boundaries.

Despite calls from his colleagues for a shorter extension to appease anti-abortion groups, a five-year renewal was ultimately agreed upon.

Rep. Barbara Lee

A lawmaker from California who helped create PEPFAR and is the leading Democrat on the Appropriations panel responsible for its budget, stated at the CSIS event that there is agreement across party lines in Congress to extend the program for five more years. She is actively working to secure reauthorization by the end of this year.