[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 76 (Tuesday, June 5, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1002]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          TWENTY YEARS OF AIDS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MARK STEVEN KIRK

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 5, 2001

  Mr. KIRK. Mr. Speaker, on June 5th of 1981, the first official report 
on Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome was published. Twenty years 
later, the AIDS pandemic has claimed the lives of more than 20 million 
people worldwide. In my home state of Illinois alone, over 15,000 
people have perished in the last twenty years.
  36 million people worldwide are presently living with HIV/AIDS. 
Nearly 70% of those reside in Sub-Saharan Africa. In Zimbabwe, one out 
of every four adults has HIV. The HIV infection rate in Asia will out-
pace that of Africa within the next decade.
  In Illinois, 35,000 people are living with HIV/AIDS. HIV infection is 
growing at an alarming rate among women and African Americans. The 
demographics of those infected with AIDS in Illinois mirrors that of 
our nation.
  There is hope. Twenty years ago, surviving the AIDS virus was 
impossible. Today, people in developed countries can manage living with 
HIV, while it is still a death sentence in the developing world. In 
1986, I suggested to Congressman John Porter that the U.S. Congress 
start an International AIDS Control Program. He joined forces with 
Representative Bob Mrazek, and the program was born. Today, the United 
States is the leader in the fight against AIDS with so much more to do. 
Twenty years and we are finally fighting AIDS.

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