[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 105 (Wednesday, July 25, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1420]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




DEPARTMENTS OF COMMERCE, JUSTICE, AND STATE, THE JUDICIARY, AND RELATED 
                   AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2002

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. BOBBY L. RUSH

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 18, 2001

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2500) making 
     appropriations for the Departments of Commerce, Justice and 
     State, the Judiciary, and related agencies for the fiscal 
     year ending September 30, 2002, and for other purposes.

  Mr. RUSH. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of Representative Waters 
and Representative Kucinich's amendment to restore the ability of 
developing countries to make HIV/AIDS drugs available to their 
citizens. While I understand the importance of the intellectual 
property rights of the companies that create these vital drugs, my 
consciousness compels me to support this amendment. I must support this 
amendment out of a sense of morality and concern for my fellow mankind 
in Africa and other developing countries.
  HIV/AIDS is ravaging developing countries and wiping out a whole 
generation of men and women. More than 25 million Africans are now 
living with HIV and last year alone, 2.4 million Africans died from the 
disease. Sub-Saharan African women are now the fastest-growing HIV-
positive population.
  The loss of mothers and fathers in Sub-Saharan Africa has resulted in 
a new social epidemic, parentless children. Two-thirds of 500,000 
orphaned children in South Africa lost parents to HIV/AIDS, and over 
30% of the children born to HIV + women will develop pediatric AIDS. I 
have witnessed the orphanages over-flowing with children who have lost 
parents to this disease and it is astonishing.
  I commend the pharmaceutical companies who have made efforts to 
provide HIV/AIDS medications available to Sub-Saharan Africa. Also, I 
thank the 39 pharmaceutical companies for placing humanitarian concerns 
over profits by dropping their suit against the South African HIV/AIDS 
law earlier this year.
  However, if we do not act now whole cultures may perish before our 
very eyes. If we do nothing, our tacit acceptance of the HIV/AIDS 
crisis in Africa and other developing countries is unforgivable. We 
must pass this amendment and allow developing countries the flexibility 
they need to provide cost-effective treatment for people with HIV/AIDS. 
If for any other reason, we should pass this amendment for the children 
whose parents these drugs can keep alive.

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