JAVIER MUÑOZ, PEPPERMINT TO JOIN ADVOCATES, MEET WITH LAWMAKERS ON CAPITOL HILL IN PUSH TO HALT & PREVENT BILLIONS OF ADDITIONAL FEDERAL FUNDING CUTS THAT WOULD DECIMATE HIV SERVICES 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Thursday, August 28, 2025 – Organizers of the #SaveHIVFunding campaign today announced that Javier Muñoz, star of Broadway’s Hamilton and longtime HIV advocate, and Peppermint, LGBTQ advocate and reality TV icon, will help take the fight to Capitol Hill, joining advocates and organizations in Washington, D.C., September 3–5 to meet with lawmakers and urge Congress to protect and expand HIV funding, which is facing an additional $1B in cuts from an upcoming House Bill that would decimate entire systems of care across the U.S. Hundreds of millions of dollars have already been cut from HIV services this year.

Javier Muñoz: A Leading Voice for HIV Advocacy

Javier Muñoz is an accomplished actor, singer, and activist best known for starring as Alexander Hamilton in the Tony Award-winning Broadway hit Hamilton. Beyond his celebrated career, Muñoz has been a prominent voice in the fight against HIV stigma and inequities in healthcare. Living openly with HIV since 2002, he has used his platform to champion HIV/AIDS advocacy, amplify LGBTQ voices, and support efforts to secure robust funding for HIV prevention, treatment, and care programs.

Peppermint: Using Her Visibility to Drive Change

Peppermint is a trailblazing performer and activist, currently starring in Netflix’s Survival of the Thickest, and made history as the first openly transgender person to originate a principal role in Head Over Heels on Broadway. Using her voice and visibility, Peppermint continues to leverage her global platform to advocate for LGBTQ rights, particularly raising awareness of the urgent issues facing Black transgender women today.

The week of advocacy urging member of congress to act coincides with the annual U.S. Conference on HIV/AIDS (USCHA), taking place in Washington, D.C.:

On September 3: Members of the #SaveHIVFunding campaign, including Muñoz and Peppermint, will meet with Congressional offices to share stories and underscore the urgent need for sustained HIV funding. Media Requests for Peppermint and Javier can be made HERE.

On September 4: Advocacy continues with additional meetings with lawmakers, coalition events, caucuses and availability for press interviews. Media Requests can be made HERE.

On September 5: Advocates will join together for a powerful reveal and presentation of the #SaveHIVFunding #CutsKill Quilt, featuring an interactive installation symbolizing the lives that will be impacted by cuts to federal HIV programs, highlighting what’s at stake if funding is cut. Media Requests can be made HERE.

Federal HIV programs have a 35+ year bipartisan track record, from President George W. Bush’s creation of PEPFAR, which has saved more than 25 million lives worldwide, to the ongoing investments in the Ryan White CARE Act, Medicaid expansion, and PrEP access. These programs form the blueprint for coordinated responses to health crises — from HIV to COVID-19 to the opioid epidemic. Gutting them would weaken America’s preparedness for future public health threats. 

Preserving federal HIV funding is about protecting an entire system of care that millions of Americans depend on. These funds support access to preventive care, primary care, mental health services, housing, and lifesaving medications. Cutting HIV programs would destabilize this infrastructure, reducing access to care for people living with chronic conditions, low-income families, and uninsured communities across the country.

HIV FUNDING FAST FACTS:

State-by-State Resources & Fact Sheets HERE

• Federal HIV programs have more than 35 years of bipartisan support: In 2003, President George W. Bush created PEPFAR (the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), which has saved 25 million lives worldwide. Domestically, President Bush signed laws reauthorizing and funding HIV care.Protecting HIV funding has been a long-standing bipartisan commitment.

• Federal HIV programs are cost-effective: Every $1 invested in HIV prevention saves the health care system $3 to $7 in future treatment costs. Cuts to federal programs would increase long-term spending.

• Medicaid is the largest source of coverage for people living with HIV in the U.S., covering roughly 40% of people living with HIV. Medicaid expansion has been associated with a 33% increase in PrEP prescriptions. Medicaid cuts recently passed by Congress will reduce coverage and access to HIV care. This fact  increases the importance of Congress providing robust FY 2026 appropriations for federal HIV programs. 

• HIV care is part of the U.S. health care system: Federal HIV funding supports access to preventive care, primary care, mental health services, housing, and medications. Cutting these funds would destabilize programs millions of Americans depend on — including those living with chronic conditions, low income families, and uninsured people.

• Over 1.2 million Americans are living with HIV, and over 500,000 rely on federal programs like the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program for lifesaving medication and care.

• HIV prevention funding protects everyone: The federal government funds access to PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), a daily medication that reduces the risk of HIV infection by 99%. Rolling back funding would increase new HIV cases and the long-term costs to the health care system.

• HIV funding is about more than one disease: These programs create a blueprint for coordinated, federally funded responses to health crises — from the opioid epidemic to COVID-19. Gutting HIV funding would weaken America’s preparedness for future public health threats.

• HIV funding protects vulnerable communities: Black and Latino communities account for more than 65% of new HIV diagnoses. Protecting these funds is about protecting racial and health equity.

Press Contact: 

Morrison Media Group

[email protected]

About the Save HIV Funding Campaign:

Launched in 2023 by PrEP4All, AVAC, and the HIV Medicine Association in partnership with the Federal AIDS Policy Partnership, the Save HIV Funding campaign is supported by over 150 national and local organizations. The campaign began in response to proposed Congressional cuts to federal HIV programs and successfully helped avert $1.5 billion in domestic HIV funding cuts.

In early 2025, the campaign expanded in response to the Trump Administration’s escalating efforts to dismantle essential HIV services and infrastructure. Today, Save HIV Funding continues to mobilize advocates, patients, healthcare providers, and public figures to ensure access to lifesaving care for everyone impacted by HIV.