[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 123 (Wednesday, September 27, 2006)]
[House]
[Page H7504]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
AIDS
(Ms. LEE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute.)
Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, 25 years after the start of the devastating
global HIV/AIDS pandemic, this disease is still devastating black
America. Among young people, among women, among men, African Americans
are most at risk of getting infected with HIV and developing AIDS and
dying of this disease. Enough is enough.
Over the last 5 years, this Republican-led Congress has done nothing
to recognize this pandemic and the scope of this problem. We need to
focus our efforts on the spread of HIV and AIDS in our prison system
and provide routine but rigorous HIV testing, linked with treatment, to
all incarcerated individuals, and support Congresswoman Waters' H.R.
6038, the Stop AIDS in Prisons Act.
We need to pass my bill, H.R. 6083, the JUSTICE Act, to allow
condoms, yes, condoms, in our prisons and to demand accountability in
stopping the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections
among incarcerated individuals.
Mr. Speaker, this is a state of emergency. Let us declare it. We must
declare it. We must declare resources to confront it. The entire
Congress needs to support more funding for the Minority AIDS
Initiative, beginning with a minimum of $610 million for the Minority
AIDS Initiative. Let us declare this state of emergency.
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