HIV protesters occupy House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s office: Seven arrested as activists get on their knees and chant

A group of protesters stormed Kevin McCarthy’s Capitol Hill office Monday, demanding he reauthorize PEPFAR, the HIV/AIDS relief program.

“McCarthy – pass PEPFAR now,” they shouted and chanted as they sat on the floor.

U.S. Capitol Police removed them from McCarthy’s office in the Rayburn House office building, which is across the street from his official speaker’s office in the Capitol building.

The seven protesters, some of whom wore T-shirts saying “HIV positive” and held signs calling for “End AIDS,” were handcuffed and taken away.

McCarthy is unlikely to be in that office because he usually works from the Capitol building, but his team did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com’s request. Monday marks the day House members return to Washington, D.C. after their summer vacation.

PEPFAR, a widely praised global program launched by President George W. Bush, has become caught up in the fight against abortion. He has until September 30 to be reauthorized.

PEPFAR, also known as the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, fights AIDS, HIV, and the virus that causes them in parts of the developing world. It finances prevention, treatment and medicines.

PEPFAR funds have helped save 25 million lives worldwide. The funds are spread across Africa, Asia and the Caribbean.

The activists – from Health GAP (Global Access Project), a non-profit organization that advocates for the rights of people living with HIV, and Housing Works, a group dedicated to ending homelessness and AIDS – published videos and photos of their demonstration on social networks.

“This global AIDS program has saved 25 million lives. We need a CLEAN 5-YEAR REAUTHORIZATION from Congress,” Housing Works posted online.

But some conservative Republicans say funds from the program’s nearly $7 billion annual budget go to abortion providers.

President Joe Biden’s administration, program leaders and outside experts vehemently deny it.

However, Republican Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey, who heads the subcommittee that controls PEPFAR, is leading the charge to stop renewal of the program until anti-abortion restrictions lifted by the Biden administration in 2021 are restored.

These restrictions prevented groups using PEPFAR funds from discussing abortion as an option.

Democrats say any pause in funding could hurt those fighting the virus.

McCarthy, meanwhile, has a full plate.

As lawmakers return to Capitol Hill this week, he must fund the government by a Sept. 30 deadline, meet a White House demand for more aid to Ukraine and appease conservatives, who want to begin a impeachment proceedings against President Joe Biden.

He holds several balls in the air early in the fall session.

He became president after a deal with the conservative wing of the Republican Party and issued a list of demands – including the possibility of calling a quick vote to “vacate the chair” and remove him from office.

Now this threat hangs over McCarthy’s every move like a sword of Damocles.

If Congress does not pass a bill to fund the government by the end of the month, there will be a partial shutdown. Given the Congress schedule, there are only 11 working days left to do so.

Conservatives are calling for massive cuts in federal spending. Democrats, who control the Senate, strongly oppose it.

McCarthy could put the right in check by launching an impeachment inquiry into Biden and his role in his son Hunter’s business dealings.

The White House has said Biden was not involved in his son’s business dealings.

But former President Donald Trump still has many allies on Capitol Hill who want to see the current president experience what the previous one endured. They accuse the Biden family of enriching themselves based on Biden being vice president.

Republicans have yet to be able to produce evidence of President Biden’s wrongdoing.

The White House is urging Congress to pass a temporary funding measure to keep the government open through the end of the year, adding a request for $16 billion in disaster relief funds and $24 billion dollars for Ukraine.

Many Republicans oppose funding Ukraine but could reach a compromise if McCarthy moves forward on impeachment.

The House, which Republicans control by a narrow 222-212 majority, has so far passed only one appropriations bill.

The Senate plans to move forward with bipartisan bills on Monday. Senators from both parties hope the floor’s action will give them the advantage in negotiations with the House.