[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 62 Introduced in House (IH)]
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. CON. RES. 62
Supporting the goals and ideals of ``National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness
Day''.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 25, 2009
Ms. Lee of California (for herself, Ms. Waters, Mrs. Christensen, Mr.
Meeks of New York, Mr. Waxman, Ms. Edwards of Maryland, Ms. Jackson-Lee
of Texas, Mr. Towns, Ms. Watson, Mr. Serrano, Mr. Kucinich, Ms.
Baldwin, Mr. Hastings of Florida, Mr. Cummings, Ms. McCollum, Ms.
Bordallo, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms. Kilpatrick of Michigan, Mr.
Nadler of New York, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Ms. Clarke, Mr. Butterfield,
Mr. Payne, and Ms. Schakowsky) submitted the following concurrent
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Supporting the goals and ideals of ``National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness
Day''.
Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that more
than 1,100,000 people are currently living with HIV in the United
States;
Whereas the CDC estimates that 56,300 individuals were newly infected with HIV
in 2006;
Whereas the CDC estimates that in 2006 approximately 232,700, or 21 percent of
individuals with HIV were unaware that they were infected;
Whereas the estimates by the CDC utilize a new methodology that has resulted in
more accurate estimates of new infections than the previous methodology;
Whereas the new estimates of HIV infection rates are 40 percent higher than
previous estimates;
Whereas African-Americans account for approximately 12 percent of the population
of the United States, but accounted for 45 percent of new HIV infections
in 2006;
Whereas, of the estimated 18,849 people under the age of 25 who were diagnosed
with HIV between 2001 and 2005, more than 60 percent were African-
American;
Whereas young gay men of color bear a disproportionate burden of the epidemic,
with more new HIV infections in 2006 occurring among 13 to 29 year old
African-American men who have sex with men (MSM) than among any other
subpopulation of MSM;
Whereas in 2006, African-American women accounted for 61 percent of new HIV
infections among women and had an infection rate that was almost 15
times higher than that of White women;
Whereas the CDC has determined that the leading cause of HIV infection among
African-American men is sexual contact with other men, followed by
intravenous drug use and heterosexual contact;
Whereas the CDC has determined that the leading cause of HIV infection among
African-American women is heterosexual contact, followed by intravenous
drug use;
Whereas the Black AIDS Institute notes that there are more African-Americans
living with HIV in the United States than there are people living with
HIV in 7 out of the 15 focus countries served by the President's
Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief;
Whereas the CDC notes that socioeconomic issues impact the rates of HIV
infection among African-Americans, and studies have found an association
between higher AIDS rates and lower incomes;
Whereas the rate of AIDS diagnoses for African-American adults and adolescents
is 10 times higher than that of their White counterparts, and the rate
of diagnoses for African-American women is nearly 23 times the rate for
White women;
Whereas African-Americans are diagnosed with AIDS later than their nonminority
counterparts, are confronted with barriers in accessing care and
treatment, and face higher morbidity and mortality outcomes;
Whereas the CDC estimates that among persons who where diagnosed with AIDS
during 1997 to 2004, African-Americans had the poorest survival rates of
any racial or ethnic group, with 66 percent surviving after 9 years
compared with 67 percent of American Indians and Alaska Natives, 74
percent of Hispanics, 75 percent of Whites, and 81 percent of Asians and
Pacific Islanders;
Whereas in 2004, AIDS was among the top 4 causes of death for African-American
men and women between the ages of 25 to 54, the number 2 cause of death
for African-American men between the ages of 35 to 44, and the number 1
cause of death for African-American women between the ages 25 to 34;
Whereas in 1998, Congress and the Clinton Administration created the National
Minority AIDS Initiative to help coordinate funding, build capacity, and
provide prevention, care, and treatment services within the African-
American, Hispanic, Asian Pacific Islander, and Native American
communities;
Whereas the National Minority AIDS Initiative assists with leadership
development of community-based organizations (CBOs), establishes and
links provider networks, builds community prevention infrastructure,
promotes technical assistance among CBOs, and raises awareness among
African-American communities;
Whereas, on February 23, 2001, the first annual ``National Black HIV/AIDS
Awareness Day'' was organized, with the slogan ``Get Educated, Get
Involved, Get Tested''; and
Whereas February 7 of each year is now recognized as ``National Black HIV/AIDS
Awareness Day'' and this year the slogan is ``Black Life is Worth
Saving'': Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That Congress--
(1) supports the goals and ideals of ``National Black HIV/
AIDS Awareness Day'' and recognizes the ninth anniversary of
observing such day;
(2) encourages State and local governments, including their
public health agencies, to recognize such day, to publicize its
importance among their communities, and to encourage
individuals, especially African-Americans, to get tested for
HIV;
(3) encourages national, State, and local media
organizations to carry messages in support of ``National Black
HIV/AIDS Awareness Day'';
(4) supports the development of a national AIDS strategy
with clear goals and objectives to reduce new HIV infections,
especially among African-Americans, men who have sex with men,
and other vulnerable communities;
(5) supports the strengthening of stable African-American
communities;
(6) supports reducing the impact of incarceration as a
driver of new HIV infections within the African-American
community;
(7) supports reducing the number of HIV infections in the
African-American community resulting from injection drug use;
(8) supports effective and comprehensive HIV prevention
education programs to promote the early identification of HIV
through voluntary routine testing, and to connect those in need
to treatment and care as early as possible; and
(9) supports appropriate funding for HIV/AIDS prevention,
care, treatment, and housing.
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