IV 111th CONGRESS 2d Session H. RES. 1478 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 24, 2010 Ms. Lee of California submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce RESOLUTION Supporting the goals and ideals of National HIV Testing Day, and for other purposes.

Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that, at the end of 2006, 1,106,400 people were living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the United States; Whereas the CDC estimates that a total of 576,384 people died of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in the United States from the beginning of the HIV/AIDS epidemic through 2007; Whereas the CDC estimates that there are 56,300 new cases of HIV infection in the United States each year; Whereas current estimates by the CDC utilize a new methodology that results in more accurate estimates of new HIV infections; Whereas previous estimates by the CDC of HIV infection rates undercounted the rate of infection by 40 percent; Whereas the CDC estimates that at the end of 2007, African-Americans represented 48 percent of all people living with HIV in the United States, Whites represented 33 percent, Hispanics represented 17 percent, Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders represented 1 percent, and American Indians and Alaska Natives represented less than 1 percent; Whereas the CDC estimates that at the end of 2008, men accounted for 73 percent of all people living with HIV in the United States, and women represented 27 percent; Whereas the CDC has determined that in the United States the leading transmission category of HIV infection is male-to-male sexual contact, followed by heterosexual contact and injection drug use; Whereas men who have sex with men (MSM) have represented an increasing share of new HIV infections over the past decade, with 54 percent of all new infections in 2008 occurring among MSM; Whereas young MSM of color, in particular, bear a disproportionate burden of the HIV/AIDS epidemic; Whereas the CDC estimates that in 2006, of the people in the United States living with HIV, approximately 232,700 (or 21 percent) were unaware that they were infected; Whereas surveys indicate that many Americans want more information about HIV, including information about the different types of tests available, testing costs, test result confidentiality, and testing locations; Whereas African-Americans and Hispanics are much more likely than Whites to say they need more information about HIV testing; Whereas studies have found that Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders are less likely to report having sought HIV testing than other ethnic groups, are more likely to be diagnosed at a later stage of the disease, and are less likely, if diagnosed, to use HIV/AIDS services; Whereas people at high risk of acquiring HIV are often at high risk of acquiring other sexually transmitted diseases as well; Whereas in 2008, the CDC estimated that 1 in 4 young women between the ages of 14 and 19 in the United States and nearly 1 in 2 African-American young women in the United States were infected with at least 1 of the 4 most common sexually transmitted diseases; Whereas the CDC reports that when HIV-infected people know their status, they are more likely to practice behaviors that reduce the risk of HIV transmission to other people; Whereas the CDC estimates that in 2006, of the people diagnosed as HIV-positive, 38 percent were later diagnosed with AIDS within 1 year of their HIV test; Whereas the CDC reports that early knowledge of HIV status is important for connecting HIV-positive people with medical care and services that can reduce mortality and prevent the onset of AIDS; Whereas anxiety, misconception, and stigma have been traditionally associated with HIV/AIDS and HIV testing; Whereas the most commonly used HIV tests currently require a 2-week waiting period for a diagnosis, and such a waiting period contributes to the anxiety surrounding HIV testing that discourages people from receiving their diagnosis; Whereas the CDC estimated that in 2004, of the people who took an HIV test at sites funded by the CDC, 22 percent did not return for their test results; Whereas rapid test kits approved by the Food and Drug Administration have made HIV testing easier, more accessible, and less invasive, and can deliver results within a single day; Whereas prevention counseling is an essential part of HIV testing and, when conducted according to established CDC guidelines, has been shown to be effective at producing individual behavioral change; Whereas the CDC’s Advancing HIV Prevention Initiative: New Strategies for a Changing Epidemic, announced in April 2003, emphasizes the importance of HIV testing; Whereas in September 2006, the CDC released Revised Recommendations for HIV Testing of Adults, Adolescents, and Pregnant Women in Health-Care Settings, which advises all health care providers in the public and private sectors to provide routine HIV screening of adults, adolescents, and pregnant women in health care settings in the United States, and recommends reducing barriers to HIV testing; Whereas in March 2007, the CDC, in partnership with leaders in the African-American community, launched a Heightened National Response to the HIV/AIDS Crisis among African Americans to mobilize a coordinated response to HIV/AIDS in the African-American community and, as part of this effort, announced a new initiative to increase HIV testing in jurisdictions with the highest AIDS case rates among African-Americans; Whereas, on April 7, 2009, the CDC launched a new communication campaign, Act Against AIDS, to facilitate awareness, public education, health literacy, health care provider marketing, and highly targeted behavior change communication objectives in the fight against HIV/AIDS; Whereas the initial phase of the Act Against AIDS campaign, entitled 9½ Minutes, is an effort to combat complacency about the HIV crisis in the United States and raise awareness of the continued severity of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the fact that every 9½ minutes, on average, someone in the United States is infected with HIV; Whereas, despite these efforts, the CDC has noted that new strategies are warranted to increase HIV testing, particularly among persons who are disproportionately affected by HIV infection; Whereas the National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA), founded in 1983, is the oldest coalition of people living with HIV/AIDS, and advocates on behalf of all people living with HIV/AIDS; Whereas National HIV Testing Day is an annual campaign that was introduced in 1995 by NAPWA to encourage individuals to seek out and receive voluntary HIV counseling and testing; Whereas the theme of National HIV Testing Day is Take the test, take control; Whereas as part of its overall public health mission, the CDC annually supports the National HIV Prevention Conference and National HIV Testing Day; and Whereas June 27 of each year is now recognized as National HIV Testing Day: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives— (1)supports the goals and ideals of National HIV Testing 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 to undergo counseling and testing for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases; (3)encourages the use of rapid test kits approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a fast and efficient method of HIV testing; (4)encourages national, State, and local media organizations to carry messages in support of National HIV Testing Day; (5)commends the President for emphasizing the importance of addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic among all Americans; and (6)supports the development of a National AIDS Strategy with clear goals and objectives to reduce new HIV infections, especially among minority communities and men who have sex with men.