[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 98 (Wednesday, June 12, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E755]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                IMPORTANCE OF FUNDING HIV/AIDS RESEARCH

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                         HON. DAVID B. McKINLEY

                            of west virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 12, 2019

  Mr. McKINLEY. Madam Speaker, as a member of the Congressional HIV/
AIDS Caucus, I rise today in support of provisions of the Labor-H 
Appropriations bill which would fund President Trump's initiative to 
end HIV/AIDS by the year 2030.
  Our nation is facing a continuing HIV crisis which has made its way 
into all of our communities and has destroyed the lives of too many of 
our constituents. Significant progress has been made in the fight 
against HIV/AIDS over the past several decades, but the CDC reports 
that over one million Americans still struggle with this terrible 
disease. In 2019, this is simply unacceptable.
  The Labor-H Appropriations bill being voted on today includes many 
controversial matters which are sure to guarantee it is dead on arrival 
in the Senate. Despite this fact, the HIV/AIDS provisions enjoy broad 
bipartisan support. It is my wish that we could come together as one 
body to pass beneficial, bipartisan provisions which would make all 
Americans better off.
  We cannot set this issue to rest until HIV has been fully eradicated 
from the United States. The administration has made this issue a 
priority and it is about time Congress follows suit. Many of us have 
known family, friends, or constituents who suffer from this abominable 
disease. We owe it to all of them to put aside our partisan differences 
and fund the initiative to eradicate HIV/AIDS from the United States by 
2030.

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