[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 178 (Tuesday, December 3, 2024)]
[House]
[Page H6283]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          WORLD AIDS DAY 2024

  (Ms. LEE of California asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to 
commemorate World AIDS Day. This year's theme is Collective Action: 
Sustain and Accelerate HIV Progress.
  Indeed, our collective action has delivered immense success to 
overcome the AIDS epidemic.
  While our Federal Government was initially slow to act, Federal 
investment has made a crucial contribution to the fight against HIV and 
AIDS. America's PEPFAR investments have saved more than 25 million 
lives. Nine out of ten Americans receiving care through the Ryan White 
and the minority AIDS programs are virally suppressed, improving their 
health and preventing transmission. Housing Opportunities for People 
With AIDS, or HOPWA, has ensured housing stability for tens of 
thousands of people living with HIV.
  Now, this progress was not accidental. It required deliberate, 
substantial Federal investment. We had to be intentional. Federal 
investment in fighting HIV and AIDS remains absolutely necessary. 
Pulling back now on our investments risks seeing HIV come roaring back.

  We cannot afford to go back to where we were nearly four decades ago. 
Mr. Speaker, I implore my colleagues to work together to support 
continued, robust Federal investments to end the HIV and AIDS epidemic 
by 2030 for everyone everywhere.

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