[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 265 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 265

           Supporting the goals and ideals of World AIDS Day.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            December 4, 2007

   Ms. Lee (for herself, Mr. Waxman, Mrs. Christensen, Mr. Murphy of 
  Connecticut, Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, Mr. Towns, Mr. Ellison, Ms. 
 Norton, Mr. Jefferson, Mrs. Jones of Ohio, Mr. Meeks of New York, Ms. 
Kilpatrick, Ms. DeLauro, Mr. McDermott, Mr. Israel, Mr. Rush, Mr. Davis 
 of Illinois, Mr. Cummings, Mr. Stark, and Ms. McCollum of Minnesota) 
 submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee 
 on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
           Supporting the goals and ideals of World AIDS Day.

Whereas globally, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (``UNAIDS'') 
        estimates that since the identification of AIDS in 1981, about 
        65,000,000 people have been infected with HIV, and more than 25,000,000 
        people have died of AIDS;
Whereas UNAIDS estimated that at the end of 2007, the AIDS pandemic had killed 
        2,100,000 people while 33,200,000 people were living with HIV worldwide 
        and of whom 2,500,000 people were newly infected;
Whereas UNAIDS estimates that in 2007, 330,000 children under the age of 15 died 
        from AIDS, while 2,500,000 children were living with HIV, 90 percent of 
        whom reside in Sub-Saharan Africa;
Whereas UNAIDS estimates that each day 1,800 children under the age of 15 become 
        newly infected with HIV and only 8 percent of pregnant women worldwide 
        receive services to prevent HIV transmission to their newborns;
Whereas globally, women are facing rising incidence rates, accounting for 
        15,400,000 infections and half of the adult population living with HIV/
        AIDS;
Whereas developing countries continue to bear the brunt of the AIDS pandemic 
        with Sub-Saharan Africa serving as the home of 68 percent of all adults 
        and children living with HIV, 60 percent are women and girls;
Whereas in the United States, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention 
        (``CDC'') estimates that over one million people are living with HIV/
        AIDS, of whom 25 percent do not know they are infected;
Whereas despite the fact that African-Americans comprise approximately 13 
        percent of the American population, the CDC estimates that in 2005 they 
        accounted for 44 percent of all persons living with AIDS and 49 percent 
        of the estimated 37,331 new HIV/AIDS diagnosis;
Whereas the CDC estimates that in 2005 women represented 26 percent of all new 
        HIV/AIDS infections with African-American women 25 times more likely to 
        be infected than white women and accounting for 64 percent of all women 
        living with HIV/AIDS;
Whereas according to the CDC, in 2005, 4,883 people age 13-24 were newly 
        diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, with African-Americans disproportionately 
        affected and accounting for 55 percent of all HIV infections reported 
        among young persons;
Whereas in order to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States, in 2006 
        the Ryan White CARE Act was reauthorized as the Ryan White HIV/AIDS 
        Treatment Modernization Act, making Federal funds available to United 
        States metropolitan areas, States, and service providers to assist 
        affected families and persons living with HIV/AIDS with healthcare and 
        support services;
Whereas to further focus attention on the HIV/AIDS epidemic among minority 
        communities in the United States, in 1998, Congress and the Clinton 
        administration created the Minority AIDS Initiative to provide funds to 
        State and local institutions and organization to best serve the 
        healthcare costs and support needs of racial and ethnic minorities 
        living with HIV/AIDS;
Whereas to address the global HIV/AIDS epidemic, in 2000, Congress passed the 
        Global AIDS and Tuberculosis Relief Act, providing the first 
        contribution and the founding framework for what became the Global Fund 
        to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, which provides grants to 
        developing countries to combat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria;
Whereas since the Global Fund was created in 2002 donors have pledged more than 
        $10,000,000,000 in funding, of which $3,000,000,000 has been donated by 
        the United States;
Whereas as of mid-2007, the Global Fund has supported treatment to over 
        1,100,000 people for HIV/AIDS, directly observed treatment (``DOTS'') to 
        2,800,000 people for tuberculosis, and over 30,000,000 insecticide 
        treated bednets to fight malaria;
Whereas in order to further address the global HIV/AIDS epidemic, in 2003, 
        Congress authorized the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief 
        (``PEPFAR'') to authorize $15,000,000,000 over 5 years to combat the 
        global AIDS epidemic in 15 focus countries, the largest public health 
        initiative in history launched by a single country to fight a single 
        disease;
Whereas, between fiscal years 2004 and 2008, PEPFAR programs aim to support care 
        for 10,000,000 HIV-affected people, including children orphaned by AIDS; 
        support the prevention of 7,000,000 new HIV infections; and help 
        2,000,000 people receive antiretroviral treatment;
Whereas, between fiscal years 2004 and 2007, Congress provided nearly 
        $13,500,000,000 for U.S. global HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria 
        programs;
Whereas of March 31, 2007, PEPFAR has supported the treatment of 1,100,000 
        people and as of September 2006, has supported the prevention of mother-
        to-child HIV transmission during more than 6,000,000 pregnancies and has 
        facilitated care for nearly 4,500,000 people, including more than 
        2,000,000 orphans and vulnerable children;
Whereas, in 2001, representatives and heads of state of 189 countries, including 
        the United States, convened at the first-ever Special Session of the 
        United Nations General Assembly on HIV/AIDS and unanimously adopted the 
        Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS;
Whereas the UN Declaration of Commitment outlines prevention, treatment, and 
        funding methods for achieving the Millennium Development Goal of halting 
        and beginning to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS by 2015;
Whereas, in 2006, the United Nations General Assembly convened a High Level 
        Meeting on AIDS, pledging to move toward the goal of universal access of 
        comprehensive prevention programs, treatment, care, and support by 2010;
Whereas the concept of World AIDS Day originated at the 1988 World Summit of 
        Ministers of Health on Programmes for AIDS Prevention and was 
        established to focus attention on the HIV/AIDS pandemic; and
Whereas December 1, is now recognized as World AIDS Day and has been taken up by 
        governments, international organizations, and charities around the 
        world: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That the Congress--
            (1) supports the goals and ideals of World AIDS Day and 
        recognizes the twentieth anniversary of observing this day;
            (2) commends the President, State and local governments, 
        including their public health agencies, for recognizing this 
        day, for publicizing its importance among their communities, 
        and for encouraging individuals to undergo testing for HIV;
            (3) supports continued funding for prevention, care, 
        treatment services, and research programs for persons living 
        with HIV/AIDS in the United States including through the Ryan 
        White HIV/AIDS Treatment Modernization Act, the Minority HIV/
        AIDS Initiative, the Centers for Disease Control, the National 
        Institutes of Health, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health 
        Services Administration, the Office of Minority Health, and the 
        Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Services;
            (4) supports continued funding for the President's 
        Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief, and the Global Fund to Fight 
        AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria to provide prevention, care, 
        and treatment to combat HIV/AIDS in developing countries;
            (5) supports the goal of providing universal access to 
        comprehensive prevention, treatment, care, and support programs 
        by 2010; and
            (6) supports efforts to address the factors that make 
        populations vulnerable to HIV/AIDS by decreasing poverty, 
        hunger, childhood mortality, and by empowering women.
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