IV 112th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 334 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 24, 2011 Ms. Lee of California (for herself, Mr. Honda, Mrs. Christensen, Ms. Baldwin, Ms. Norton, Ms. Roybal-Allard, and Mr. Jackson of Illinois) 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.

Whereas in 2009, around the world, 33,300,000 people were living with HIV, 1,800,000 people died of AIDS-related illnesses, and another 2,600,000 people were newly infected, and, of these numbers, children under the age of 15 accounted for 260,000 AIDS deaths, 370,000 new HIV infections, and a total of 2,500,000 of all people living with HIV; Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that in the United States more than 1,100,000 people are living with HIV and approximately 21 percent do not know they are infected; Whereas the CDC estimates that a total of 617,025 people have died of AIDS in the United States from the beginning of the HIV/AIDS epidemic through 2008; Whereas the CDC estimates that each year 56,300 people become newly infected with HIV in the United States, and, on average, an individual is infected with HIV every 9½ minutes; 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 2008, 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 75 percent of all people living with HIV in the United States, and women represented 25 percent; Whereas the rate of new HIV infection for African-American women is nearly 15 times higher than White women, while the rate among Hispanic women is nearly 4 times higher; 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 young MSM of color, in particular, bearing a disproportionate burden of the epidemic; 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 or hour; 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 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 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 President Obama announced the National HIV/AIDS Strategy on July 13, 2010, and established a goal of increasing the percentage of people living with HIV who know their serostatus from 79 percent to 90 percent by 2015; Whereas increasing rates of testing is important to using Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) as a promising prevention tool for MSM; and Whereas as part of its overall public health mission, the CDC annually supports the National HIV Prevention Conference and 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 implementation of the National AIDS Strategy with clear goals and objectives to reduce new HIV infections, especially among minority communities and men who have sex with men.