[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 79 (Monday, May 24, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H3715-H3716]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1445
        SENSE OF HOUSE REGARDING HOUSING FUNDING TO COMBAT AIDS

  Mr. DONNELLY of Indiana. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 137) expressing 
the sense of the Congress that the lack of adequate housing must be 
addressed as a barrier to effective HIV prevention, treatment, and 
care, and that the United States should make a commitment to providing 
adequate funding for developing housing as a response to the AIDS 
pandemic.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 137

       Whereas adequate and secure housing for people with human 
     immunodeficiency virus or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome 
     (HIV/AIDS) is a challenge with global dimensions and adequate 
     housing is one of the greatest unmet needs of persons in the 
     United States with HIV/AIDS;
       Whereas growing empirical evidence shows that the 
     socioeconomic circumstances of individuals and groups and 
     structural factors such as housing status are of equal 
     importance, or even greater importance, to health status than 
     medical care and personal health behaviors;
       Whereas the link between poverty and disparities in HIV 
     risk and health outcomes is well established, and new 
     research findings demonstrate the direct relationship between 
     inadequate housing and greater risk of HIV infection, poor 
     health outcomes, and early death;
       Whereas rates of HIV infection are 3 to 16 times higher 
     among persons who are homeless or unstably housed, 70 percent 
     of all persons living with HIV/AIDS report a lifetime 
     experience of homelessness or housing instability, and the 
     HIV/AIDS death rate is 7 to 9 times higher for homeless 
     adults than for the general population;
       Whereas poor living conditions, including overcrowding and 
     homelessness, undermine safety, privacy, and efforts to 
     promote self-respect, human dignity, and responsible sexual 
     behavior;
       Whereas homeless and unstably housed persons are 2 to 6 
     times more likely to use hard drugs, share needles, or 
     exchange sex for money and housing than similar persons with 
     stable housing, as the lack of stable housing directly 
     impacts the ability of people living in poverty to reduce HIV 
     risk behaviors;
       Whereas in spite of the evidence indicating that adequate 
     housing has a direct positive effect on HIV prevention, 
     treatment, and health outcomes, the housing resources devoted 
     to the national response to HIV/AIDS have been inadequate and 
     housing has been largely ignored in policy discussions at the 
     international level; and
       Whereas the Congress recognized the housing needs of people 
     with HIV/AIDS in enacting the Housing Opportunities for 
     Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program in 1990 as part of the 
     Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (Public Law 
     101-625) and the HOPWA program currently serves 70,000 
     households: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that--
       (1) stable and affordable housing is an essential component 
     of an effective strategy for HIV prevention, treatment, and 
     care; and
       (2) the United States should make a commitment to providing 
     adequate funding for developing housing as a response to the 
     AIDS pandemic.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Indiana (Mr. Donnelly) and the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. 
Wilson) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Indiana.


                             General Leave

  Mr. DONNELLY of Indiana. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and 
extend their remarks on this legislation and to insert extraneous 
material thereon.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Indiana?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. DONNELLY of Indiana. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the sponsor of this concurrent resolution, the gentleman 
from New York (Mr. Nadler).
  Mr. NADLER of New York. I thank the gentleman from Indiana for 
yielding.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my resolution, H. Con. Res. 
137, which expresses the sense of Congress that housing is a key 
component of combating the war against HIV and AIDS.
  I want to thank Chairman Frank and my colleagues, both parties on the 
Financial Services Committee, for bringing this resolution to the 
floor, and I call on my colleagues to join me in supporting this 
important resolution.
  It is remarkable how far we have come as a society in our 
understanding of the HIV virus. In the early 1980s and well into the 
1990s, an HIV-positive diagnosis was seen as a death sentence.
  But nearly three decades after the launch of a global campaign to 
study the disease, to develop and disseminate treatment, and to teach 
prevention, those who contract HIV now have more than just an elusive 
hope for the future. They have a natural reality of living healthy and 
productive lives for decades.
  Today we have an entire medical, organizational, and legislative 
foundation from which we can provide information, medication, and 
health care to those who have contracted the disease. Yet, just as 
advances are being made to extend and enhance the lives of those

[[Page H3716]]

living with HIV and AIDS, we still have a long way to go in the United 
States in order to make sure that everyone benefits.
  While we now have effective HIV medications, there are still many 
complicating factors in making sure that everyone can get and 
successfully use those medications. These drugs can be very expensive, 
forcing people to choose between lifesaving drugs and other essentials 
such as food, clothing, and housing. In addition, these complex 
medications often require refrigeration and precise daily routines and 
mealtimes for their administration.
  Successfully integrating these drugs into anyone's life has its 
complications. For those who are homeless, or who don't know where they 
will be sleeping day to day or month to month, the situation is 
extremely difficult and often, sadly, life threatening.
  Study after study has confirmed the connection between the ability to 
remain healthy after being diagnosed with HIV and access to stable 
housing.
  Here are just a few statistics. According to a 2007 study in the 
American Journal of Public Health, housing status is a more significant 
predictor of health care access and outcomes than individual 
characteristics, insurance status, substance abuse, and mental health 
comorbidities, or even service utilization.
  Up to 70 percent of all people living with HIV report a lifetime 
experience of homelessness or housing instability.
  Rates of HIV infection are 16 times higher, 16 times higher, among 
those who are homeless or unstably housed compared to similarly 
situated people with stable housing.
  Up to 14 percent of all homeless people are HIV positive, 10 times 
the rate in the general population.
  The death rate due to HIV or AIDS among homeless people living with 
HIV is seven to nine times the death rate due to HIV-AIDS among the 
general population.
  The studies are equally clear that ensuring access to stable housing 
is cost-effective. According to economic evaluation studies done by 
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, providing housing to 
those who are HIV positive either helps to save costs associated with 
treating these patients, or has similar effects such as those 
associated with kidney dialysis and screening for breast and colon 
cancer.
  If we are to tackle the spread and treatment of HIV and AIDS in our 
society, we absolutely must address the need for stable housing for 
people with HIV and AIDS. Housing is not a luxury; it's a necessity. 
And with stable, safe housing comes better health and healthier habits, 
especially for those living with HIV-AIDS.
  So I ask my colleagues in both parties to support this resolution so 
that we can move toward a sound and comprehensive policy for the 
prevention and treatment of HIV-AIDS.
  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time 
as I may consume.
  House Concurrent Resolution 137 expresses the sense of Congress 
regarding adequate housing options for persons with HIV-AIDS. Studies 
show that the rates of HIV infection are 3 to 16 times higher among 
persons who are homeless or unstably housed, and 70 percent of all 
persons living with HIV-AIDS report a lifetime experience of 
homelessness.
  Currently, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 
through its Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS, HOPWA, 
provides grants to eligible States and cities to provide housing 
assistance and related supportive services to meet the housing needs of 
low-income persons with HIV-AIDS and their families.
  I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of 
my time.
  Mr. DONNELLY of Indiana. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests 
for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Donnelly) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 137.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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