[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 152 (Wednesday, September 24, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9425-S9426]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 103--RECOGNIZING THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF 
           THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE MINORITY AIDS INITIATIVE

  Mrs. CLINTON submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions:

                            S. Con. Res. 103

       Whereas the Minority AIDS Initiative was established on 
     October 28, 1998, under the leadership of the Congressional 
     Black Caucus, during the chairmanship of Representative 
     Maxine Waters, to target funds for the awareness, prevention, 
     testing, and treatment of human immunodeficiency virus and 
     acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) toward racial 
     and ethnic minority communities and toward community-based 
     organizations and health care providers serving these 
     communities;
       Whereas HIV/AIDS is a devastating epidemic that continues 
     to grow in communities throughout the United States;
       Whereas there are more than 1,000,000 people living with 
     HIV/AIDS in the United States today;
       Whereas there are more than 14,000 AIDS-related deaths 
     every year in the United States;
       Whereas approximately 1 in 4 of the people living with HIV/
     AIDS in the United States do not know they are infected;
       Whereas all racial and ethnic minorities are 
     disproportionately impacted by HIV/AIDS;
       Whereas African-Americans account for about \1/2\ of new 
     AIDS cases, although approximately 13 percent of the 
     population as a whole is Black, and the Centers for Disease 
     Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that African-Americans 
     accounted for 45 percent of new HIV infections in 2006;
       Whereas Hispanic Americans account for 19 percent of new 
     AIDS cases, although only 15

[[Page S9426]]

     percent of the population as a whole is Hispanic, and the CDC 
     estimates that Hispanic-Americans accounted for 17 percent of 
     new HIV infections in 2006;
       Whereas Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders account for 1 
     percent of new AIDS cases, and Native Americans and Alaska 
     Natives account for up to 1 percent of new AIDS cases;
       Whereas approximately 70 percent of new AIDS cases are 
     racial and ethnic minorities;
       Whereas, in 2008, the CDC released new estimates of HIV 
     infection, which indicate that approximately 56,300 new HIV 
     infections occurred in the United States in 2006;
       Whereas these new estimates are approximately 40 percent 
     higher than the CDC's previous estimates of 40,000 new 
     infections per year;
       Whereas the CDC's data confirms that the most severe impact 
     of HIV/AIDS continues to be among gay and bisexual men of all 
     races, and Black men and women;
       Whereas the purpose of the Minority AIDS Initiative is to 
     enable community-based organizations and health care 
     providers in minority communities to improve their capacity 
     to deliver culturally and linguistically appropriate HIV/AIDS 
     care and services;
       Whereas the establishment of the Minority AIDS Initiative 
     was announced on October 28, 1998, during a ``roll-out'' 
     event sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus, which 
     featured the participation of President Bill Clinton, 
     Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala, 
     Representative Maxine Waters, members of the Congressional 
     Black Caucus, and representatives of HIV/AIDS service and 
     advocacy organizations;
       Whereas it was announced at this roll-out that the Minority 
     AIDS Initiative would receive an initial appropriation of 
     $156,000,000 in fiscal year 1999;
       Whereas concerned Members of Congress, including members of 
     the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Hispanic 
     Caucus, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, and 
     the Congressional Hispanic Conference, continue to support 
     the Minority AIDS Initiative;
       Whereas the Minority AIDS Initiative continues to provide 
     funding to community-based organizations, research 
     institutions, minority-serving colleges and universities, 
     health care organizations, State and local health 
     departments, correctional institutions, and other providers 
     of health information and services to help such entities 
     address the HIV/AIDS epidemic within the minority populations 
     they serve;
       Whereas Congress codified the Minority AIDS Initiative 
     within the most recent reauthorization of the Ryan White CARE 
     Act;
       Whereas the Minority AIDS Initiative fills gaps in HIV/AIDS 
     outreach, awareness, prevention, treatment, surveillance, and 
     infrastructure across communities of color; and
       Whereas, October 28, 2008, is the 10th anniversary of the 
     establishment of the Minority AIDS Initiative: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes and commemorates the 10th anniversary of the 
     establishment of the Minority AIDS Initiative;
       (2) commends the efforts of community-based organizations 
     and health care providers in minority communities to deliver 
     culturally and linguistically appropriate human 
     immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome 
     (HIV/AIDS) care and services within the minority populations 
     they serve;
       (3) encourages racial and ethnic minorities to educate 
     themselves about the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS and 
     reduce the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS; and
       (4) supports the continued funding of the Minority AIDS 
     Initiative and other Federal programs to stop the spread of 
     HIV/AIDS and to provide effective, compassionate treatment 
     and care to individuals affected by HIV/AIDS.

                          ____________________