[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 103 (Monday, July 31, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S8449]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        REMEMBERING BILL HANCOCK

 Mr. SMITH. Mr. President, today I wish to honor the memory and 
work of Mr. Bill Hancock, a constituent of mine who led a most selfless 
and compassionate life. Several weeks ago, Bill lost his long struggle 
with AIDS. The story of his life demonstrates just how much progress we 
have made in our efforts to stem the tide of this disease, and how much 
work remains to be done before we find a cure.
  Bill led a very rich and full life--one that should fill his family 
and friends with a sense of overwhelming pride. While he accomplished 
much, I am most moved by his tireless work to improve the lives of 
those who suffered from the very illness he had. Many of us might have 
given up if we found ourselves in Bill's position--choosing to allow a 
set of unfortunate circumstances to stagnate our lives. Instead, Bill 
fully realized his life's purpose through his sincere dedication to 
supporting and advancing the needs of the HIV/AIDS community.
  Since the early days of the AIDS epidemic, Bill was involved in 
building the grassroots momentum needed to generate a national response 
to the public health crisis that was emerging in many of America's 
cities. His own health problems led him to Our House of Portland for 
hospice care and with the support he received there, he was able to 
begin to manage the symptoms of his illness. Amazingly, he was the very 
first resident of Our House to leave alive. I believe this is a clear 
testament to the tenacity of Bill's character.
  Shortly after leaving Our House, Bill returned--not as a patient but 
as a member of its fundraising board and as a personal care assistant. 
His compassion prompted him to reciprocate the care he was provided by 
becoming a caregiver himself. His involvement in HIV/AIDS advocacy only 
grew from that point. He became the chair of the Multnomah County 
Community Health Council and the Citizen's Advisory Board to the local 
health department. He also served on Multnomah County's Citizen's 
Budget Advisory Committee and the board of the Tri-County Safety Net 
Enterprise.
  In addition to his service in local government, Bill represented the 
needs of those living with HIV/AIDS as public policy coordinator for 
the Cascade AIDS Project. Cascade AIDS is Oregon's leading provider of 
community-based medical and social services, offering access to health 
care, temporary housing, career assistance, and education and 
prevention programs. My staff had the pleasure of working closely with 
Bill to more effectively coordinate State and Federal resources aimed 
at supporting individuals with HIV/AIDS. He truly served the members of 
Oregon's HIV/AIDS community with dignity and compassion.
  On marking the occasion of Bill Hancock's passing, I can't help but 
ask myself what more we as public servants can do to prevent the 
untimely death of individuals living with HIV/AIDS. The Federal 
Government has made great progress in the battle against this horrific 
epidemic, but there is much more we can do. It is essential that we 
move forward with reauthorizing the Ryan White CARE Act and 
appropriately funding the medical and social support programs that help 
individuals lead more full and productive lives. It would be a 
testament to Bill's life's work and dedication if we could do our part 
to help address the medical and social needs of the HIV/AIDS community. 
Bill never gave up, and neither should we.
  In closing, I would like to offer my condolences to the family, 
friends, and fellow advocates whom Bill touched with his compassion and 
love of life. They have much to be proud of, and I hope their memories 
will be filled with the many great accomplishments he achieved as a 
dedicated community servant.

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