[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 186 (Thursday, December 1, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1201-E1202]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    WORLD AIDS DAY DECEMBER 1, 2022

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, December 1, 2022

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, I want to thank you all for being 
here today at the NMAC Capitol Hill Champions Reception to commemorate 
World AIDS Day and celebrate our progress over the years.
  It is invigorating to be among a room full of leaders fighting the 
good fight against AIDS worldwide; and as so many here have contributed 
mightily to this effort, it is an honor, and quite humbling, to be this 
year's recipient of the John Lewis Good Trouble Award from NMAC.
  I first want us to remember our deal friend and long-time colleague, 
Congressman John

[[Page E1202]]

Lewis. He was a true warrior fighting for a more just, equitable, 
fairer, and better world.
  John Lewis earnestly believed that healthcare is a human right. 
Through his indefatigable leadership, he demonstrated the urgency of 
elevating the U.S. commitment to protect people worldwide from HIV and 
AIDS. He was a role model in so many respects, including his 
persistence in combating AIDS globally.
  World AIDS Day provides us the opportunity to reflect on the AIDS 
epidemic and where progress has been made. This day also allows us to 
rededicate ourselves to eradicating the disease once and for all.
  Since the first World AIDS Day in 1988, we have greatly increased our 
investments in HIV/AIDS prevention, care, treatment, and research.
  When the HIV/AIDS epidemic started, the outlook was very grim. There 
wasn't an understanding of the disease, antivirals were not available, 
and life expectancy for those diagnosed was frighteningly short.
  Today, there is a better understanding of HIV/AIDS, how it spreads, 
and how to treat it.
  There are medications such as PrEP, which is taken daily to prevent 
HIV, and PEP, which is taken up to 72 hours potential HIV exposure.
  Treatment has advanced tremendously to the point where many HIV 
patients have viral loads that are so low that they are undetectable.
  The U.S. government has worked hard to combat the spread of this 
devastating disease.
  Through legislation like the Ryan White CARE Act and the U.S. 
President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), we have been able 
to improve HIV/AIDS education, quality of care, and distribution of 
resources to those who need them most, both domestically and globally.
  The NIH provides the largest public investment in HIV/AIDS research 
globally. Dr. Anthony Fauci deserves credit for a large part of our 
country's AIDS response as Director of the Office of AIDS Research.
  As we all know, racial and ethnic minorities are disproportionately 
impacted by HIV/AIDS, both in the United States and globally.
  In the U.S., African Americans account for higher proportions of HIV 
diagnoses and people living with HIV, in comparison to other races and 
ethnicities.
  In my home of Houston, Texas, 6 out of every 10 diagnosed HIV 
infections are among African Americans. It is estimated that 1 in 90 
Houstonians are living with HIV/AIDS.
  Racism, HIV stigma, homophobia, poverty, and barriers to health care 
exacerbate disparities and pose obstacles that prevent people from 
proper testing and treatment that would reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS.
  I am proud to fight against racism, discrimination, and other 
societal deformities that cause disparities in health status and keep 
people from seeking urgently needed health care.
  I have worked to declare HIV/AIDS a state of emergency among our 
African American community, which faces an infection rate nearly eleven 
times that of white Americans.
  Internationally, I have worked to support PEPFAR in all they have 
done and continue to do to help those who struggle to combat the brutal 
HIV/AIDS virus.
  It is estimated that there are 38.4 million people worldwide living 
with HIV.
  In 2021, 1.5 million individuals acquired HIV, which is a 32 percent 
decline in new infections since 2010. This decline shows the impact 
that access to testing, treatment, care, and support services have on 
transmission and new diagnosis.
  In 2021, around 650,000 people died from AIDS-related illnesses 
worldwide, compared to 2 million people in 2004 and 1.4 million in 
2010.
  Through the work of the CDC, the NIH, and the UN's World Health 
Organization, we have made great strides in reducing the transmission 
of HIV through antiretroviral therapies (ART) that reduce detectable 
viral loads. Those who take ART as prescribed are often able to have 
undetectable viral loads, live long healthy lives, and not transmit HIV 
to partners through sex.
  In fiscal year 2021, PEPFAR provided HIV testing services for more 
than 50 million people and supported ART for nearly 19 million men, 
women and children globally. Because of PEPFAR, 2.8 million babies in 
2021 were born HIV-free to parents living with HIV.
  But there is still much work to be done.
  The United Nations reports that progress on HIV treatment and 
prevention in the last three years has flatlined.
  As a leader in the global fight against HIV and AIDS, the United 
States must continue to support HIV/AIDS prevention, care, treatment, 
and research.
  My hope is that, through bipartisan support, Congress will continue 
to pass legislation that expands resources to reduce the spread of HIV/
AIDS both in the U.S. and globally.
  Beyond our borders, our efforts have extended care to millions in the 
developing world, through increased resources for PEPFAR and the Global 
Fund. This collective progress reflects the heights that can be reached 
when all stakeholders work together to achieve common goals.
  I look forward to working with my colleagues, federal agencies, 
foundations and philanthropists, the NGO sector, community partners, 
and other global leaders to put an end to this epidemic that continues 
to plague us.
  I want to thank everyone here today for supporting this extremely 
important issue. This is something that impacts us all and it should be 
a priority for all of us.
  And again, I want to thank NMAC for awarding me with this year's John 
Lewis Good Trouble Award. I will do my best to continually earn this 
award by persistently supporting efforts to eradicate HIV/AIDS and 
advocating for minorities in Houston, the United States, and across the 
globe.
  May we all ``never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good 
trouble, necessary trouble''.

                          ____________________