[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 10]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 14357]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               IN RECOGNITION OF NATIONAL HIV TESTING DAY

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                       HON. STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 8, 2008

  Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of 
National HIV Testing Day, celebrated on Sunday, June 27th, 2008. Every 
year, the National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA) and the 
Center for Disease Control (CDC) work in conjunction to sponsor 
National HIV Testing Day. This year, National HIV Testing Day used the 
slogan: ``Take the test, take control''. National HIV Testing Day is 
used to provide vital information about the HIV/AIDS epidemic, educate 
people on the affect it has on an individual and on the community, help 
decrease the number of newly infected Americans with HIV/AIDS by 
increasing the availability of HIV tests and encourage individuals to 
seek voluntary counseling.
  Worldwide, there are 14,000 new HIV/AIDS cases daily and a total of 
22 million people who have died from the epidemic. As the number of 
people living with HIV/AIDS in the U.S. today increases, it is crucial 
to acknowledge the significance of knowing your HIV/AIDS status. Every 
year, 40,000 Americans are newly infected with the disease and 
approximately 1,200,000 people in the U.S. are living with HIV/AIDS. 
Twenty-five percent of them are unaware of their positive status.
  Over time, as scientific developments around HIV/AIDS have 
progressed, HIV/AIDS is no longer a death sentence, but can be treated 
with proper medical care. Although the positive diagnosis of HIV/AIDS 
is life altering, everyone deserves to know their status--for 
themselves, their partner, and their family. Worldwide, the HIV/AIDS 
epidemic carries a negative stigma that results in societal disapproval 
and rejection. As a country and community, we need to stand together 
and fight this disease to provide a healthier America for generations 
to follow.
  On behalf of the people of the 11th Congressional District in Ohio 
and the United States Congress, I extend my condolences to the friends 
and family of people who have lost a loved one to the disease. As we 
stand together as Americans, we can make a difference, we can save a 
life.

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