[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 184 (Tuesday, December 4, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2484]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             WORLD AIDS DAY

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                       HON. STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 4, 2007

  Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 
19th Anniversary of World AIDS Day.
  This past Friday, December 1, was World AIDS Day, a day where we 
pause to once again focus our attention on this deadly disease that has 
proved to be so devastating to so many throughout the world. Since the 
first diagnosis in 1981, approximately 65 million people have been 
infected with the HIV virus, while more than 25 million people have 
died of AIDS worldwide. In 2007 alone, The United Nations Programme on 
HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) estimated that AIDS had killed 2.1 million people 
while 33.2 million people were living with HIV worldwide and of whom 
2.5 million people were newly infected.
  An estimated one million people are currently living with HIV in the 
United States, with approximately 40,000 new infections occurring each 
year--70 percent of these new infections occur in men and 30 percent 
occur in women. African Americans make up only 13 percent of the 
population, yet now account for 54 percent of all AIDS cases in the 
United States. Additionally, 64 percent of the new infections in women 
occur in African American women.
  In order to combat this problem we must begin to educate people 
across this country about avoiding risky behavior and the importance of 
protecting yourself when engaging in sexual intercourse, but first you 
must know your status.
  We must pay particular attention to the education of our young people 
with regard to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Since the introduction of 
abstinence-only education 10 years ago, sexually transmitted disease 
rates are up. I would like to applaud the Governor of my home State of 
Ohio, Ted Strickland's efforts to implement a comprehensive sex 
education program in our schools that focuses on both abstinence and 
contraception. It is my hope that this is something that is implemented 
on a national level.
  Last year I issued a challenge to all Americans, and specifically 
African American women who are the fastest growing segment of the 
population to be infected by HIV/AIDS, to get tested and know their 
status. Today I reissue that challenge, and I will keep pressing this 
issue until we are able to find a cure and bring an end to this 
disease.

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