[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 163 (Thursday, November 29, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H8570]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       SUPPORTING WORLD AIDS DAY

  (Ms. LEE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, on December 1, communities across the globe 
will acknowledge World AIDS Day. The global AIDS pandemic is the 
greatest humanitarian crisis of our times.
  Three years ago in my district, we declared a state of emergency on 
HIV and AIDS in the African American community. Since then the number 
of new infections has begun to slowly decrease, but millions of dollars 
are needed in our urban and rural communities to tackle this pandemic.
  AIDS, like many diseases, knows no borders; nor does it discriminate. 
HIV has infected over 57 million people worldwide. AIDS, TB, and 
malaria claim over 17,000 lives each day.
  We know how to prevent the spread of HIV. We know how to treat AIDS 
patients, and we know we must continue our work in vaccine development.
  United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan and global AIDS experts 
estimate that it will take $7 billion to $10 billion annually to launch 
an effective response. The United States should contribute at least $1 
billion to this fund as the wealthiest and most powerful country on 
Earth. The human family is at stake. We can and we must do more.

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