[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 19 (Thursday, February 13, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E274]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 IN RECOGNITION OF THE CENTER FOR AIDS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KEN BENTSEN

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 13, 1997

  Mr. BENTSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the Center for AIDS 
upon the dedication of its new location in Houston on Friday, February 
14, 1997. This larger, better-equipped center will ensure that HIV/AIDS 
patients and physicians have comprehensive and up-to-date information 
about AIDS treatment and research. I wish to thank and congratulate the 
founders of the center, L. Joel Martinez, Chris Kerr, and Michael 
Peranteau, for their life-saving leadership.
  With tremendous medical advances such as protease inhibitors, AIDS is 
becoming more and more a treatable and survivable disease. But 
successful treatment depends on obtaining the right medical information 
as quickly as possible. That is what the Center for AIDS is all about.
  This new center will provide critical sources of information, 
including a publicly accessible computer to search the Internet free-
of-charge; a collection of medical and scientific journals specifically 
targeting HIV/AIDS; and a daily bulletin board on HIV/AIDS treatment 
options that patients can review. Through the work of its founders, the 
Center for AIDS created a newsletter called Research Initiative 
Treatment Action [RITA] to distribute to patients and advocates on a 
weekly basis. Each week, advocates, patients, and medical professionals 
receive the latest information about world-wide research and treatment 
options.
  The center also provides free literature from AIDS organizations and 
pharmaceutical companies about various treatment options. With this 
information, patients and their doctors can make better decisions about 
their health and be better consumers of health care services. This will 
save lives and reduce treatment costs.
  The center will also serve as a gathering place for community forums 
and monthly treatment meetings. With more space, the center will be 
able to serve more clients and help more people.
  The Center for AIDS was founded in 1995 by three dedicated 
individuals, L. Joel Martinez, Chris Kerr, and Michael Peranteau. Both 
Michael and Joel are HIV positive. These individuals recognized that 
there was a need for accurate, up-to-date information about HIV and 
AIDS treatment. The center was created to fill this void. The center 
currently has a budget of $238,000 all of which is privately funded.
  Mr. L. Joel Martinez, a founder of the center, serves as the 
scientific and medical expert who analyzes and gathers relevant medical 
information about HIV/AIDS. Mr. Martinez also works with local medical 
professionals to ensure that HIV/AIDS patients are included in research 
protocols at the Texas Medical Center.
  I commend the founders, staff, and volunteers of the Center for AIDS 
for their life-saving work. They are a vital link in our increasingly 
successful fight against AIDS.

                          ____________________