[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 100 (Thursday, July 27, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1349]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 RYAN WHITE CARE ACT AMENDMENTS OF 2000

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DANNY K. DAVIS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 26, 2000

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of 
H.R. 4807, the Ryan White CARE Act Amendments.
  The Ryan White CARE Act provides resources through states, 
localities, and agencies, all with the goal of improving the quality 
and availability of care of low-income, uninsured, and underserved 
individuals and families affected by HIV/AIDS. I am thankful for the 
many individuals and families who have been assisted and care for 
because of this landmark legislation. And I thank those health care 
providers, community health centers, and families who care for 
individuals with HIV/AIDS.
  We have seen some successes as a result of the Ryan White Act. In 
fact, in the city of Chicago, the number of deaths due to AIDS 
decreased from approximately 1,000 per year in 1993-95 to only 377 
during 1997. Also, the Ryan White Act is reaching out to the poor. On a 
national level, the average annual income of more than 50 percent of 
Ryan White clients have never exceeded $25,000 per year, compared with 
27 percent of all HIV-positive clients in care in 1996. Furthermore, 
the AIDS Drug Assistant Program formulary was expanded from 33 drugs in 
1996 to 65 drugs in 1997, including all protease inhibitors and 
antiretroviral therapies.
  These reports are encouraging, however, Illinois is among the ten 
states in the nation reporting the highest number of AIDS cases from 
1981 to 1999, that is, 22,348 individuals with AIDS in Illinois, 19,347 
of those individuals living in Chicago. We can reach even more people 
through prevention and early diagnosis programs and we can treat even 
more people with greater access to the latest drugs and technology.
  I therefore fully support the expanded provisions under the Ryan 
White Amendments. First of all, these new provisions revise the grant 
formula to reflect the prevalence of HIV infections and AIDS cases. 
Under current law, funds are distributed only on the basis of AIDS 
cases.
  Secondly, the bill establishes a new supplementary competitive grant 
program for states in ``severe need'' of additional resources to combat 
the HIV/AIDS epidemic. In determining severe need, HHS will consider 
evidence of disparities in access and services and historically 
underserved communities.
  Also, perinatal transmission of HIV is a problem that needs to be 
more fully addressed through early testing of the mother and baby and 
through counseling and treatment programs. I am pleased that this bill 
increases the authorization for the grant program dealing with 
perinatal HIV transmission by $20 million.
  In addition to the provisions I mentioned, the Ryan White CARE Act 
Amendments would create focused efforts to reach prisoners with HIV/
AIDS, reach individuals who are currently not receiving care, and 
eliminate disparities in access to services.
  Mr. Speaker, I therefore rise in strong support of the Ryan White 
CARE Act Amendments.




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