[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 14]
[House]
[Pages 21101-21104]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



            THE PROBLEM OF HIV/AIDS AND METHODS TO COMBAT IT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 6, 1999, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) is recognized 
for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the esteemed 
gentleman from California (Mr. Dixon) for joining me this afternoon as 
we discuss one of the most serious problems facing our country and, 
indeed, our world today, that is, the problem of HIV/AIDS and all of 
the problems associated with it, as well as talk about ways in which we 
can combat it.
  Earlier today we passed the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Relief Act, 
which provides resources to fight this dreadful disease. I think our 
passage of this act today is further indication of how serious this 
Congress takes this problem and the approaches that we have begun to 
use in terms of providing resources to deal with it.
  Although money is needed, and resources is one way of impacting 
positively the situation, there are other things that people can do 
that do in fact cost money, but sometimes not as much as we think. 
There are many agencies, organizations, and groups throughout America 
and throughout the world who are making use of themselves in every 
possible way to do what it is that they can to arrest this disease.
  One of the areas that we have the most difficulty with is in 
teenagers. Despite the fact that most American teenagers are aware of 
methods for preventing pregnancy and STD infection, reports indicate 
that nearly half of teenagers engage in unprotected sexual activity. In 
turn, morbidity and infection rates due to HIV continue to rise as 
young adults become one of the fastest-growing populations contracting 
HIV/AIDS.
  In addition, recent reports estimate that at least 20 to 30 percent 
of young men may be infected with herpes simplex virus, regardless of 
sociological demographic background.
  As a matter of fact, in some manner, we are all affected by the 
hardships of these diseases because they have placed hardships on our 
communities, no matter where we are or who we are. Consequently, 
programs dedicated to informing young adults about safe sex practices 
in an appropriate and effective manner are vital.
  One such national effort is Project Alpha, which is a creation of 
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated.
  Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, founded in 1906 at Cornell University, 
has the distinction of being the first intercollegiate fraternity 
established for African Americans. Since its inception, Alpha Phi Alpha 
fraternity has provided voice and vision to the struggle of African 
Americans and people of color around the world.
  Today Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, has approximately 
150,000 members. Past and present members include noted sociologist 
W.E.B. DuBois, Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., former Senator Ed Brooks, Dr. 
Martin Luther King, Jr., Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, 
former Congressman and ambassador Andrew Young, former Representative 
Bill Gray, who heads the United Negro College Fund, the noted author 
and activist, Paul Robeson, the gentleman from California (Mr. Dixon), 
the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Hilliard), the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Fattah), the gentlemen from New York (Mr. Meeks and 
Mr. Rangel), the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott).
  I, too, Mr. Speaker, am pleased to be a member of the Mu Mu Lambda 
chapter of this illustrious group, Alpha Phi Alpha, Incorporated.
  Project Alpha, in the spirit of this powerful legacy, was established 
to address the major social, economic, and health problems related to 
troubling trends in teen pregnancy and STDs.
  Since the early 1980s, Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity has implemented the 
Project Alpha Program, along with the March of Dimes Foundation, and 
has taught thousands of young men about the consequences of STDs and 
teenage pregnancy from a male perspective.
  Over the past 20 years, members of Alpha have worked with the staff 
and volunteers of the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation to reach 
hundreds of communities and thousands of young men throughout America 
and the world.
  In an effort to herald this program to the entire Nation, the second 
week of

[[Page 21102]]

October has been declared Project Alpha Week, and from October 7 to 
October 14 each chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha will devote time to 
reviewing the medical, legal, and socioeconomic issues involving teen 
pregnancy and STD infection with teens while encouraging responsible 
behavior.
  I want to commend the brothers of Alpha and the Alpha Project, for 
without preventative programs such as this successful one, we will pay 
greatly in the future with higher rates of teen pregnancy and birth 
defects, higher rates of HIV and other STDs, and ultimately, a lower 
quality of life for all members of our society.

                              {time}  1400

  Now, it is my pleasure to yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Dixon), the ranking member of the Permanent Select Committee on 
Intelligence, my brother, and fellow Alpha member.
  Mr. DIXON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois very much 
for yielding to me, and I am very pleased to join with him in this 
tribute, not only to the Alpha fraternity, but the fight and the cause.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to commemorate Project Alpha 
Week and to honor the brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and the 
March of Dimes for their efforts over the past 20 years on this 
project.
  Project Alpha is a collaboration between Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity 
and the March of Dimes to reduce teenage pregnancy and sexually 
transmitted diseases by engaging young men before they have established 
risk-taking behavior patterns.
  During the week of October 7 through 14, young men in communities 
across this Nation will participate in Project Alpha conferences.
  Project Alpha is one of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity's three national 
programs. These national programs, ``Project Alpha,'' ``Go to High 
School-Go to College,'' and ``A Voteless People Is a Hopeless People'' 
exemplify Alpha Phi Alpha's focus on assisting communities through 
leadership, scholarship, and service.
  The curriculum at the Project Alpha conferences will stress three 
main elements, knowledge building, motivation and taking the message 
back.
  In my hometown of Los Angeles, more than 200 young men are expected 
to benefit from Project Alpha programs this year. I would like to 
commend the 12 Southern California chapters who are participating in 
this year's program.
  The program's financial supporters and presenters also should be 
recognized for their contributions to the community. This year's 
program will include Michael Cooper, former L.A. Laker star, and State 
Senator Teresa Hughes. Support is also being provided by the Magic 
Johnson Theater Corporation; the New Leaders, an organization of young 
African-American professionals; and the Holman United Methodist Church.
  Mr. Speaker, I would also like to take this opportunity to highlight 
another project that the Alpha Phi Alpha has spearheaded, the Martin 
Luther King, Jr. Memorial project. I am honored to have worked with 
Alpha Phi Alpha to enact legislation to allow the King Memorial project 
to move forward.
  In 1996, the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella) and I carried 
the bill to authorize the memorial. In 1998, we passed legislation 
approving a permanent site on the National Mall for the King Memorial.
  The fraternity has since established an independent foundation to 
coordinate this project and is engaged in raising funds for the Martin 
Luther King, Jr. Memorial. I am very proud that the effort to honor Dr. 
King, a man of unique national stature, with a memorial in the Nation's 
capital has transcended the fraternity and become a project of national 
significance.
  The commitment to community that Alpha Phi Alpha instills in its 
members is exemplary. I am honored to be a member of the Alpha Phi 
Alpha Fraternity, and I am pleased to commend both Alpha Phi Alpha and 
the March of Dimes for their efforts on Project Alpha.
  From Project Alpha to the King Memorial to helping to shape 
generations of great African-American men, Alpha Phi Alpha has 
contributed so much to our Nation. I am very proud of the brothers that 
serve in the Congress of the United States with me who are members of 
the Alpha Fraternity.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, let me just ask the gentleman 
from California (Mr. Dixon), we know that HIV-related illness and death 
now have the greatest impact on young people. As a matter of fact, AIDS 
is the leading cause of death among Americans 25 to 44 years old. In 
this same age group, AIDS now account, on an average, for one in every 
three deaths among African-American men and one in five deaths in 
African-American women.
  Between 1990 and 1995, AIDS incidents among people 13 to 25 years old 
rose nearly 20 percent. While AIDS incidents among both young gay and 
bisexual men and young injecting drug users was relatively constant 
during this time period, AIDS incidents among young heterosexual men 
and women rose more than 130 percent.
  In a project like Project Alpha, what is it that one can say or what 
does one say to young people to try and impact upon them the serious 
consequences of certain kinds of behavior?
  Mr. DIXON. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will yield, I think that one 
does two things, and Project Alpha reaches to both of them. One, one 
can explain to them the impact on the community as it relates to 
health, as it relates to future planning for a young person. Two, one 
can explain to them and make clear to them that this kind of epidemic 
can be avoided if they control themselves and practice what is 
traditionally called safe sex.
  There is probably no greater threat to minority communities today 
than the national health problem of HIV infection. So to reach out to 
young men 16, 17, of college age to spread information and to make them 
realize the danger I think is a great public service.
  But just as important, I think that we have to make the entire 
minority community aware of this danger, and we cannot stress it too 
much because, as the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) indicated from 
his facts, it is a growing concern; and the facts continue to show that 
the spread in the minority communities is running ahead of the spread 
in the majority communities.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I certainly want to thank the 
gentleman from California, not only for his participation and his 
leadership here in the Congress but also his willingness in the 
community where he lives to be involved, to be interactive with young 
people, and to try and help them to understand how they can improve the 
quality of life, not only for themselves, but for others. We certainly 
appreciate his assistance.
  Mr. DIXON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois for 
taking the time to spread the word. It is an honor for me to serve with 
him and my other colleagues, not only as I said in the House of 
Representatives, but as members in the same fraternity.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure now to yield 
time to the distinguished gentleman from the City of Brotherly Love, 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Fattah), who not only provides great leadership in 
the field of education, which means that he is a natural to be involved 
in this kind of project, but who is an inspiration to all of those who 
have known and worked with him for years.
  I am proud to call him, not only my colleague, but also my Alpha 
brother.
  Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Speaker, let me thank the distinguished gentleman 
from the great State of Illinois (Mr. Davis) and the City of Chicago, 
who is a fraternity brother of mine.
  I come to the floor just ever so briefly just to add my voice in 
support for this effort. It really is a substantial effort that, even 
if I was not a member of this great fraternity, I would be supportive 
of it, because it really gets at the heart of where we need to be, and 
that is communicating with individual young men and with our young 
people in a way which is relevant in terms of the choices that they 
have to make, the choice points that they confront,

[[Page 21103]]

that will have an impact on their life chances in a way that they 
cannot even imagine at 12 and 13 and 14 and 15 years of age.
  So I just want to thank the gentleman from Illinois for carving out 
this special order for a very special message. I want to thank all of 
my fraternity brothers throughout this country and, in fact, beyond the 
national borders of this country who are committed to education and 
committed to this effort in particular in terms of raising the 
awareness of young people about the choices that they have to make, and 
the fact that, if they make the right choice, they stand to reap the 
reward, and if they make the wrong choice, not only do they suffer the 
consequence, but our entire community and our society suffer the 
consequences of the choices, assuming they make the wrong one.
  So I want to thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) and my 
other Alpha brothers.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, listening to the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Fattah), there is no one that I know of who is more 
concerned about education. I remember one of the incidents that 
happened that sort of reinforced that. I remember the President had 
invited the gentleman from Pennsylvania and his family to the White 
House as he was about to sign one of the gentleman's bills. The 
gentleman from Pennsylvania decided that his son needed to go to school 
that day, that he could not come.
  Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Speaker, our fraternity had the ``Stay in School and 
Go to College.'' That was one of the very early programs of the Alphas. 
My son had a perfect attendance up through his high school graduation, 
and it was an important choice. But, nonetheless, his record of a 
perfect attendance was important to him and acknowledgment of the 
importance that we place on education. So now he is a freshman in 
college. He is doing well.
  I think it is important that we as adults indicate to young people 
where they need to place their value. Hobnobbing at the White House is 
one thing, but learning and earning a diploma and eventually a degree 
so that one day one can be in the White House as the resident of it, as 
the Chief Executive, is a much more important goal in life.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield to the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott), one who does, in fact, also have 
perfect attendance, especially perfect attendance when it comes to 
representing the needs, hopes and aspirations of his people and 
representing the effort to make America a better Nation in which to 
live.
  Mr. SCOTT. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate and commend the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Davis), my colleague and Alpha brother, for scheduling 
this special order this afternoon. I am delighted that we have an 
opportunity through this special order to talk about the proud history 
of Alpha Phi Alpha and its ongoing nationwide efforts to meet some of 
the critical needs of the African-American community.
  We have already heard, men of Alpha Phi Alpha have had a strong 
positive impact on our society in every profession and in every field 
of endeavor. I am fortunate to serve with many of our Alpha colleagues: 
The gentleman from the 15th Congressional District of New York (Mr. 
Rangel), the gentleman from the 32nd Congressional District of 
California (Mr. Dixon), the gentleman from the 7th Congressional 
District of Alabama (Mr. Hilliard), the gentleman from the 2nd 
Congressional District of Pennsylvania (Mr. Fattah), the gentleman from 
the 6th Congressional District of New York (Mr. Meeks).
  We follow the proud footsteps of Adam Clayton Powell who was elected 
in Congress in the late 1940s and many other Alpha brothers who have 
served in Congress and prepared the pathway for numerous other Alpha 
brothers who serve in public office at the local, State and Federal 
levels.
  Alphas can also claim three of the big four Civil Rights movements. 
So when one considers the members of this distinguished fraternity, it 
should come at no surprise that Alpha brothers would be in the 
leadership of addressing some of our most serious social problems. 
Whitney Young, Martin Luther King, Floyd McKessick were also in the 
forefront as Alpha brothers in the civil rights movement. They focused 
on the right to vote. As has already been indicated, one of the early 
slogans of the fraternity was ``A voteless people is a hopeless 
people.'' Because of this focus, the Martin Luther King Memorial is so 
appropriate, and we are proud to have an Alpha member so honored.
  We also must not forget the late Thurgood Marshall who argued the 
Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education, which desegregated 
public schools and led to the fall of Jim Crow laws everywhere. That is 
important to note because education has been such a critical issue in 
the Alpha history.
  ``Go to high school, go to college'' was another early slogan, an 
early program in Alpha Phi Alpha. Project Alpha is another one of those 
important projects.
  Young African-American males today face many challenges, truancy, 
illiteracy, drugs, violence and teen fatherhood. And those needs need 
to be addressed. That is why the week of October 7 through October 14 
will be Project Alpha week, focusing on Project Alpha.
  For some 20 years, now, Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity has worked with 
the March of Dimes in an effort to respond to the challenges facing 
young black males. Project Alpha is a result of this project, and its 
mission has been to create a national program to prepare young men for 
the roles that they will be expected to assume in their adulthood.
  In communities throughout this country, Project Alpha has created 
safe havens for young men to learn about and explore ways to develop 
protective factors to minimize the impact of the social hazards which 
are present today.
  Project Alpha provides education on sexuality, fatherhood, and the 
role of men in responsible relationships. It motivates young men to 
make smart decisions about their future and to take an active role in 
achieving their desired goals. It is a daunting task that Project Alpha 
has taken on.
  Young black men today face many obstacles on their road to adulthood. 
African-American males continue to lag behind their female counterparts 
in most measures of academic progress. It is particularly unfortunate 
to note that 25 percent of all black men can expect to have some 
contact with the criminal justice system.

                              {time}  1415

  We know already that nationally 3 out of every 10 young black males 
are in jail, prison, on probation, or otherwise involved in the 
criminal justice system. While unemployment levels for African 
Americans are at an all-time low, the rate continues to be unacceptable 
in many urban communities, and this presents yet another risk factor 
for young African American males.
  By focusing on those 12 to 15, Project Alpha lays the groundwork 
early for developing the protective factors that reduces the likelihood 
of teen fatherhood and the associated risks that result from teen 
pregnancy. By providing positive role models from the community, 
Project Alpha teaches the participants about the social, economic and 
personal consequences of early fatherhood. And by reducing the rate of 
teen pregnancy, we are improving the likelihood that these young men 
will stay in school, stay away from drug use and other negative 
behaviors.
  That is why we congratulate the Alpha Phi Alpha in designating 
October 7 through 14 as Project Alpha Week. I want to thank the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis), my brother Alpha member, for 
holding this special order this afternoon. I applaud the members of 
Alpha Phi Alpha and the March of Dimes for their continued commitment 
to improving the lives of young African American males in the African 
American community and again congratulate the gentleman on holding this 
special order.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. I thank the gentleman very much, and I would 
like to get the gentleman's reaction, if I could, to how much on target 
Project Alpha is.
  A study by the National Cancer Institute confirms existent data which 
reveals that as each generation comes of

[[Page 21104]]

age, there is a substantial increase in the rate of infection as 
individuals enter their late teens and early 20s, with infection 
peaking in the mid to late 20s. Sustained, targeted prevention for each 
group entering young adulthood is what will keep these waves from 
developing.
  Behavioral science has also shown that a balance of prevention 
messages is important for young people, and that total abstinence from 
sexual activity is the only sure way to prevent sexual transmission of 
HIV infection. Despite all of the efforts, some young people may still 
engage in sexual intercourse that puts them at risk for HIV and other 
STDs. For these individuals, the correct and consistent use of latex 
condoms has been shown to be highly effective in preventing the 
transmission of HIV and other STDs.
  How important does the gentleman think it is for older, and I would 
not necessarily say that all the Members of Alpha Phi Alpha are old, 
but more mature members of our society to share concepts, ideas and 
experiences with younger people, as this project kind of attempts to 
do, in steering them in a more appropriate direction? And would the 
gentleman have any challenge for other groups and organizations as to 
how they can be more helpful?
  Mr. SCOTT. Well, I think the gentleman's question really answers 
itself. The course in Project Alpha, and I have participated in many of 
the activities at the national convention and in classes in Project 
Alpha in my own home community in Virginia, and they teach 
responsibility, they teach abstinence, they teach safe sex; and it is 
done in such a way that they have the role models from the community 
coming in and explaining the importance of avoiding teen pregnancy and 
avoiding the sexually transmitted diseases.
  These kinds of role models, I think, can show that they do have a 
future. One of the high risk factors of getting into trouble is when 
young people do not feel that they have a future. They tend to involve 
themselves in more risky behaviors because they think they have nothing 
to lose. When they see role models and can see a path, particularly a 
continuum of role models, some of the older ones, like the gentleman, 
and younger ones, like me, and even younger ones, they can see that 
they have a future within their life. They see that there are jobs 
available and careers available. And to the extent that they involve 
themselves in risky behaviors, they place that future at risk.
  So we challenge other groups to get involved in the same kinds of 
interaction with our young people, because we can have a significant 
impact in keeping them out of trouble to begin with and keeping them on 
the right track, and that is why Project Alpha is so important.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Let me just thank the gentleman for his 
response and for his participation. People throw out accolades, and 
sometimes they are meaningful and sometimes not as meaningful; but when 
it comes to role modeling, I would certainly think that the gentleman 
has been and continues to be one, not only as a Member of Congress but 
also in the community where the gentleman lives and works. So I want to 
thank the gentleman for coming and for sharing with us this afternoon.
  Mr. SCOTT. I thank the gentleman as well, and I would want to point 
out that the gentleman himself has been a stalwart advocate of civil 
rights and voting rights. Just yesterday, we had a special order 
involving voting rights and the importance of voting, and my fellow 
fraternity brother has been one of the leaders in that effort.
  I want to congratulate the gentleman on his leadership. He has a long 
history of public service, going back to local government in Chicago, 
and that certainly shows that the gentleman is a role model and an 
Alpha that everyone can be proud of.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Well, I thank the gentleman. As we have 
discussed this afternoon and we have pointed out, all of our speakers 
have, the impact of HIV and AIDS in the African American community, we 
know that it has indeed been devastating. As a matter of fact, through 
December of 1998, the Center for Disease Control had received reports 
of 688,200 AIDS cases. And of those, 251,408 cases occurred among 
African Americans. Representing only an estimated 12 percent of the 
total United States population, African Americans make up almost 37 
percent of all AIDS cases reported in this country.
  Researchers estimate that 240,000 to 325,000 African Americans, about 
one in 50 African American men and one in 160 African American women, 
are infected with HIV. Of those infected with HIV, it is estimated that 
more than 106,000 African Americans are living with AIDS. So when we 
see a program like Project Alpha, there is no doubt about its 
importance in mentoring, educating and encouraging young adults to be 
responsible during their teen years and beyond.
  According to the CDC, 10 national studies have shown that education 
programs increase safer sex practices among young people who are 
sexually active. These programs also lead to abstinence, fewer sexual 
partners, and increased and more effective use of contraception among 
young men and women.
  The other major objective of Project Alpha is teen pregnancy 
reduction from a male perspective. And although teen birth rates 
experienced a decline between 1991 and 1996 across all ethnic and 
economic groups, the country is beginning to see a new surge in 
pregnant women under 20 years of age. Some important facts to consider 
are: the United States has the highest pregnancy rate of all developed 
countries. About 1 million teenagers become pregnant each year, of 
which 95 percent are unintended. Public cost as a result totaled $120 
billion between 1985 and 1990, a circumstance that may resume if 
current trends continue. It is estimated that $48 billion could have 
been saved if birth had been postponed.
  Eleven States are implementing comprehensive integrated youth 
programs to prevent teen pregnancies. While others have assistance 
programs, the Department of Health and Human Services' recent annual 
report reveals that 32 States have no specified goals regarding this 
issue. However, Project Alpha has vision with long-range benefits: to 
reduce teenage pregnancy, thereby reducing child poverty; reducing high 
school dropout rates and boosting the probability that young adults can 
fully achieve their potential.
  Furthermore, realizing that these programs are traditionally targeted 
towards raising awareness in young women, Project Alpha focuses on 
reaching young men, an important yet often overlooked factor in the 
teen pregnancy problem. By educating young men about contraception and 
emphasizing personal responsibility, positive changes in attitude and 
behavior can make a positive difference.
  Finally, again, I would like to congratulate Alpha Phi Alpha 
Fraternity and the March of Dimes for recognizing the need for Project 
Alpha and holding a week that not only serves young Americans in our 
communities nationwide, but also fulfills the alpha pledge: First of 
All, Servant of All. Does the gentleman have any other comments?
  Mr. SCOTT. I would just like to thank the March of Dimes and Project 
Alpha for providing this guidance to our young citizens, and I thank 
the gentleman for organizing this special order.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman once again, 
and First of All, Servant of All, we shall transcend all.

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