[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 123 (Tuesday, September 16, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H7285]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       END BAN ON NEEDLE EXCHANGE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Miller of Florida). Under the Speaker's 
announced policy of January 21, 1997, the gentlewoman from the Virgin 
Islands [Ms. Christian-Green] is recognized during morning hour debates 
for 5 minutes.
  Ms. CHRISTIAN-GREEN. Mr. Speaker, on Thursday this House voted for an 
amendment that would ban the use of Federal funds for needle exchange 
programs, programs that have been proven to reduce the transmission of 
HIV, the virus which causes AIDS, programs which without question save 
lives, and which have never been shown to increase the use of 
injectable or other drugs. In fact, what has been shown is that persons 
using these programs are more likely to enter treatment when treatment 
is available.
  I realize, Mr. Speaker, that it was recently reported that AIDS is no 
longer the leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 25 
and 44. While that may be true for European-Americans, it is definitely 
not true for my patients in the African-American community or other 
minorities. Women are still disproportionately affected, and in most of 
these cases, the transmission is related to intravenous drug use.
  Health experts have said that the greatest threat to our public 
health are legislative bodies such as this. Last Thursday, we may have 
proved this statement true again.
  As a physician who has taken care of patients with AIDS and who has 
taken care of patients who are addicted to drugs, I look to our 
colleagues in the conference committee to do the right thing and delete 
this amendment out of the final legislation. Choose life, my 
colleagues. Choose life.

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