[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 173 (Thursday, December 13, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2273]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    GLOBAL ACCESS TO HIV/AIDS PREVENTION, AWARENESS, EDUCATION, AND 
                         TREATMENT ACT OF 2001

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                    HON. JUANITA MILLENDER-McDONALD

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 11, 2001

  Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of 
H.R. 2069, a bill that I co-sponsored in order to help raise awareness 
of the need to promote prevention of HIV/AIDS. There can be no more 
pressing issue than tackling this pandemic that is so ruthlessly 
killing millions of people across the globe.
  It has already reduced the population of the African continent by 
almost 20 million lives alone. It has created a generation of orphans 
that will never know the warmth and meaning of family. It is a 
relentless plague that destroys our universal productivity, labor and 
health. It affects each and every one of us.
  Mr. Speaker, we must do all that is in our power to resolve this 
multi-dimensional global crisis. In particular, I would like to 
highlight a portion of this bill's important provision that employs 
language from a free standing bill that I introduced which addresses 
the prevention of the transmission of HIV/AIDS from mother to child. 
This transmission is the largest source of HIV infection in children 
under age 15 and the only source for transmission to infants.
  According to recent findings, the total number of births to HIV-
infected pregnant women each year in developing countries is 
approximately 700,000. Funding under this bill will greatly contribute 
to decreasing this number by providing counseling and voluntary testing 
to infected women. With this information, mothers-to-be, who are aware 
of their status, can make informed decisions about treatment, 
replacement feeding to reduce risks to their unborn babies and future 
child-bearing.
  This act of prevention is only one first step, Mr. Speaker, but an 
essential one in our battle being waged against this devastating enemy. 
I therefore join my colleagues in supporting urgent passage of H.R. 
2069.

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