[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 82 (Thursday, June 10, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6914-S6915]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 NATIONAL PEDIATRIC AIDS AWARENESS DAY

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 114, which was also 
reported by the Judiciary Committee.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 114) designating June 22, 1999, as 
     ``National Pediatric AIDS Awareness Day.''

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. LOTT. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, 
the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the 
table, and any statements relating to this resolution be printed at the 
appropriate place in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 114) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 114

       Whereas acquired immune deficiency syndrome (referred to in 
     this resolution as ``AIDS'') is the 7th leading cause of 
     death for children in the United States;
       Whereas approximately 15,000 children in the United States 
     are currently infected with human immunodeficiency virus 
     (referred to in this resolution as ``HIV''), the virus that 
     causes AIDS;
       Whereas the number of children who have died from AIDS 
     worldwide since the AIDS epidemic began has reached 
     2,700,000;

[[Page S6915]]

       Whereas it is estimated that an additional 40,000,000 
     children will die from AIDS by the year 2020;
       Whereas perinatal transmission of HIV from mother to child 
     accounts for 91 percent of pediatric HIV cases;
       Whereas studies have demonstrated that the maternal 
     transmission of HIV to an infant decreased from 30 percent to 
     less than 8 percent after therapeutic intervention was 
     employed;
       Whereas effective drug treatments have decreased the 
     percentage of deaths from AIDS in the United States by 47 
     percent in both 1998 and 1999;
       Whereas the number of children of color infected with HIV 
     is disproportionate to the national statistics with respect 
     to all children;
       Whereas The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation has 
     been devoted over the past decade to the education, research, 
     prevention, and elimination of acquired immune deficiency 
     syndrome (AIDS); and
       Whereas the people of the United States should resolve to 
     do everything possible to control and eliminate this epidemic 
     that threatens our future generations: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) in recognition of all of the individuals who have 
     devoted their time and energy toward combatting the spread 
     and costly effects of acquired immune deficiency syndrome 
     (AIDS) epidemic, designates June 22, 1999, as ``National 
     Pediatric AIDS Awareness Day''; and
       (2) requests that the President issue a proclamation 
     calling on the people of the United States to observe the day 
     with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

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