[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 38 (Thursday, March 30, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S1972]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         RYAN WHITE COMPREHENSIVE AIDS RESOURCES EMERGENCY ACT

  Mr. REED. Mr. President, I rise today to briefly discuss a 
reauthorization bill introduced yesterday by Senators Jeffords and 
Kennedy, the Ryan White CARE Act Amendments of 2000, S. 2311. This 
legislation is very important in that it will help to continue to 
improve the quality and availability of care for low-income, uninsured, 
and under insured individuals and families affected by AIDS and HIV 
disease. I am pleased to be a cosponsor of this initiative.
  Ryan White died on April 8, 1990 at age 18. He was a prime example of 
someone whose own community rejected him when he was only 13 years old 
because of his health status. As a result of his courageous battle to 
attend public school in Indiana, we all learned and understood more 
about AIDS. Ryan White played a major role in changing people's views 
concerning the disease and AIDS patients. Through his actions, he 
conveyed the importance of education and awareness to combat the spread 
of this deadly disease. Even after his death, the story of his 
courageous battle with AIDS continues to impact the common man. His 
legacy lives on through the Ryan White CARE Act.
  This reauthorization provides us the opportunity to improve this 
bipartisan legislation to adequately care for those persons affected 
with AIDS and HIV. As noted by Ryan's mother, Jeanne, ``We have come a 
long way since Ryan's death, but we still have so far to go.'' Although 
the number of AIDS cases continues to decline each year, the number of 
HIV-positive individuals continues to grow at an alarming rate. This 
legislation would expand the duties of the Planning Council, provide 
for a Quality Management Program, establish requirements for heath care 
referral relationships, fund early intervention services, and improve 
resources for infants, children, and women. Until a cure is found, the 
Ryan White CARE Act will continue to be the ``payer of last resort'' 
for thousands of individuals who otherwise cannot afford health care or 
basic subsistence needs. In my home State of Rhode Island, $3,463,706 
of Ryan White CARE funding was provided during fiscal year 1999 to 
ensure access to life-sustaining drugs and other critical health and 
social services for those individuals affected with AIDS and HIV.
  Because AIDS and HIV is a national problem, it deserves national 
attention. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Senate 
Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee to make further 
enhancements and improvements to the bill. Specifically, I understand 
my colleague, Senator Bingaman, has been working on a provision that 
would allow more states to have access to dental care grant funding 
under Part F of the act. I believe this is a very important issue for 
individuals with HIV and AIDS and hope this provision will be 
incorporated into the overall bill.

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