[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 95 (Thursday, June 21, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1122-E1123]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING THE ``BROWARD IS GREATER THAN AIDS'' CAMPAIGN ON THE 
                  OCCASION OF NATIONAL HIV TESTING DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 21, 2012

  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 
``Broward is Greater than AIDS'' (Broward > AIDS) campaign, an 
initiative of the Broward County Health Department (BCHD) to raise 
public awareness of the importance of knowing your HIV status and 
getting tested. The launch of the Broward > AIDS campaign takes place 
as we observe the 18th Annual National HIV Testing Day on June 27, 
2012, a joint initiative between the National Association of People 
With AIDS (NAPWA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
(CDC) aimed at promoting HIV testing.
  While advances in antiretroviral treatment now allow people living 
with HIV/AIDS to have longer, more productive lives than ever before, 
HIV continues to spread at a staggering rate. Nationwide, 1.2 million 
people in the United States are living with HIV/AIDS, and 50,000 
individuals become newly infected with the virus each year. 
Furthermore, more than one in five HIV-positive individuals are unaware 
that they are infected, which not only increases their risk for 
developing worse health outcomes but also the likelihood of 
transmitting the virus to others.
  Although HIV/AIDS knows no borders, race, or gender, it has taken a 
particularly devastating toll on South Florida and certain groups. 
Since 2008, Broward County has had the highest rate of HIV infection 
per-capita in the nation. Within the past year, new HIV infections rose 
by 25 percent while new cases of AIDS also increased significantly. In 
addition, according to the BCHD, HIV/AIDS continues to have a disparate 
impact on men who have sex with men (MSM) and black heterosexual women.
  HIV/AIDS can happen to anyone, but we have the power to stop HIV and 
create an AIDS-free generation. It all begins with getting tested for 
HIV to find out your status and using this knowledge to take better 
care of yourself, your loved ones, and your community. Equally 
important is also knowing the status of your partner. Regular HIV 
testing has been proven to save lives and reduce new infections. The 
Broward > AIDS campaign is a vital tool to educate individuals and the 
community about the realities of HIV/AIDS, why they should get tested, 
and where testing is available.
  Through the Broward > AIDS campaign, the BCHD seeks to encourage and 
increase HIV testing to reduce the spread of the disease as well as the 
stigma associated with it. The unfortunate fact remains that many 
individuals and communities do not talk about HIV/AIDS. We cannot hope 
to eliminate the stigma and reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS if we do not 
break the silence. HIV/AIDS is not just a personal health issue, it is 
a community health issue and we all have a responsibility to do our 
part to protect our families, friends, and neighbors.
   Mr. Speaker, this National HIV Testing Day, I commend the Broward 
County Health Department and its comprehensive HIV/AIDS

[[Page E1123]]

outreach campaign, Broward > AIDS, for working to increase HIV testing 
and end stigma. Together with effective, evidence-based policies that 
address barriers to HIV testing and access to treatment and care, we 
know that we can overcome HIV/AIDS.

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