[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 162 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 162

 Expressing the sense of the Senate that stable and affordable housing 
is an essential component of an effective strategy for the prevention, 
   treatment, and care of human immunodeficiency virus, and that the 
 United States should make a commitment to providing adequate funding 
     for the development of housing as a response to the acquired 
                  immunodeficiency syndrome pandemic.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 4, 2011

  Mr. Menendez (for himself, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Franken, Mr. Kerry, Mr. 
  Lautenberg, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Sanders, Ms. Snowe, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. 
  Whitehouse, and Mr. Lieberman) submitted the following resolution; 
  which was referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the Senate that stable and affordable housing 
is an essential component of an effective strategy for the prevention, 
   treatment, and care of human immunodeficiency virus, and that the 
 United States should make a commitment to providing adequate funding 
     for the development of housing as a response to the acquired 
                  immunodeficiency syndrome pandemic.

Whereas adequate and secure housing for people with human immunodeficiency virus 
        or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (referred to in this preamble as 
        ``HIV/AIDS'') is a challenge with global dimensions, and adequate 
        housing is one of the greatest unmet needs of people in the United 
        States with HIV/AIDS;
Whereas growing empirical evidence shows that socioeconomic status and 
        structural factors such as access to adequate housing are key 
        determinants of health;
Whereas the link between poverty, disparities in the risk of human 
        immunodeficiency virus (referred to in this resolution as ``HIV'') 
        infection, and health outcomes is well established, and new research 
        demonstrates the direct relationship between inadequate housing and 
        greater risk of HIV infection, poor health outcomes, and early death;
Whereas rates of HIV infection are 3 to 16 times higher among people who are 
        homeless or have an unstable housing situation, 70 percent of all people 
        living with HIV/AIDS report an experience of homelessness or housing 
        instability during their lifetime, and the HIV/AIDS death rate is 7 to 9 
        times higher for homeless adults than for the general population;
Whereas poor living conditions, including overcrowding and homelessness, 
        undermine safety, privacy, and efforts to promote self-respect, human 
        dignity, and responsible sexual behavior;
Whereas people who are homeless or have an unstable housing situation are 2 to 6 
        times more likely to use hard drugs, share needles, or exchange sex for 
        money and housing than similar persons with stable housing, because the 
        lack of stable housing directly impacts the ability of people living in 
        poverty to reduce HIV risk behaviors;
Whereas, in spite of the evidence indicating that adequate housing has a direct 
        positive effect on HIV prevention, treatment, and health outcomes, the 
        housing resources devoted to the national response to HIV/AIDS have been 
        inadequate, and housing has been largely ignored in policy discussions 
        at the international level; and
Whereas, in 1990, Congress recognized the housing needs of people with HIV/AIDS 
        when it enacted the AIDS Housing Opportunity Act (42 U.S.C. 12901 et 
        seq.), commonly referred to as the ``Housing Opportunities for Persons 
        with AIDS Program'' or ``HOPWA Program'', as part of the Cranston-
        Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (Public Law 101-625; 104 Stat. 
        4079), and the HOPWA program currently serves approximately 60,000 
        households: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
            (1) stable and affordable housing is an essential component 
        of an effective strategy for human immunodeficiency virus 
        prevention, treatment, and care; and
            (2) the United States should make a commitment to providing 
        adequate funding for the development of housing as a response 
        to the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome pandemic.
                                 <all>