[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 17 (Wednesday, February 16, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E252]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          RECOGNITION OF NATIONAL BLACK HIV/AIDS AWARENESS DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 16, 2005

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today to join with many of 
my colleagues in recognizing the fifth anniversary of National Black 
HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.
  African Americans have been disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS 
since the epidemic's very beginning, and there's no evidence to show 
that trend is changing. National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day not only 
calls attention to how HIV/AIDS disproportionately affects the Black 
community, but the extreme disparities in healthcare access for African 
Americans.
  Although African Americans represent only 13 percent of the U.S. 
population, they account for 40 percent of the 929,985 AIDS cases 
diagnosed since the start of the epidemic and approximately half of the 
43,171 cases diagnosed in 2003 alone. The epidemic has also had a 
disproportionate impact on subgroups of African Americans including 
women and youth.
  African American women accounted for a greater proportion of new AIDS 
cases among African Americans overall than their white counterparts. 
And although African American teens (ages 13-19) represent only 15 
percent of U.S. teenagers, they accounted for 65 percent of new AIDS 
cases reported.
  Although treatment advances, along with prevention efforts, have led 
to the decline in new AIDS diagnoses and deaths, these declines were 
not as sharp for African Americans and appear to have ended.
  We must continue to push for a comprehensive prevention policy that 
highlights the ABCs--Abstain, Be Faithful, and use Condoms. We must 
strongly encourage de-stigmatization of the disease among African 
Americans, and increase funding that will allow for extensive outreach 
not only in our communities, but to our international neighbors as 
well.
  We must support the goals and ideals of National Black HIV/AIDS 
Awareness Day and ``Get Educated, Get Involved, and Get Tested.''

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