Money for worldwide AIDS fight at issue in Supreme Court

Supreme Court's second day of arguments by phone is devoted to a new version of a case it decided seven years ago involving federal money to fight AIDS around world.

justices are taking up Trump administration's appeal to force foreign affiliates of U.S.-based health organizations to deunce prostitution as a condition of receiving taxpayer money.

As y did Monday,  justices and two lawyers representing administration and organizations will meet by telephone, with live audio available to public. court scheduled arguments by phone because of coronavirus pandemic.

court ruled in 2013 that anti-prostitution pledge, contained in a 2003 law, improperly restricts U.S. groups’ constitutional rights. new question is wher administration can subject foreign organizations to pledge.

Lower federal courts ruled that re is real difference between U.S. and foreign-based groups, which do AIDS prevention work in more than 100 countries.

administration argues that foreign groups don't have same rights as ir domestic counterparts.

Former lawmakers including Senate Majority Leaders Bill Frist, a Republican, and Tom Daschle, a Democrat, took issue with administration's stance.

“Congress understood that an effective HIV/AIDS-fighting strategy requires t only collaboration with foreign governments and organizations, but also efforts by certain organizations to work directly with sex workers. se relationships require trust," y said in a court filing.

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote court's 2013 opinion that governments could t force U.S. groups to “pledge allegiance to government’s policy of eradicating prostitution."

Roberts and four or justices in majority remain on court. y are: Justices Samuel Alito, Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor.

Justice Elena Kagan is t taking part, presumably because she worked on an earlier version of case when she served in Justice Department before joining court.