    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1993, Book II)]
    [September 30, 1993]
    [Page 1641]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 1641]]

    Memorandum on AIDS
    September 30, 1993

    Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies

    Subject: AIDS at Work

        Halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and caring for those already touched
    by the disease is our common responsibility. Sadly, if you do not know
    someone with HIV/AIDS, you soon will. Every 17 minutes an American dies
    of AIDS; one of every five Americans knows someone who has died of AIDS;
    over one million Americans are already infected with HIV.
        HIV/AIDS affects everyone in this Nation. Preventing the spread of
    HIV/AIDS and its associated human and economic costs is crucial to the
    success of health care reform. Likewise, enlightened, nondiscriminatory
    workplace policies are essential to both our efforts at reinventing
    government and at lowering health costs. This Administration and this
    Nation must do all within our power to prevent discrimination against
    those infected with HIV. I am committed to facing the difficult issues
    raised by HIV/AIDS.
        This is an Administration of action and leadership by example.
    Today's Cabinet meeting discussion of HIV/AIDS is the beginning. All of
    you are asked to develop and fully implement comprehensive HIV/AIDS
    workplace policies and employee education and prevention programs by
    World AIDS Day, 1994, beginning with your Senior Staff.
        To begin this process:
        Each Cabinet Secretary shall designate a member of his/her
                Senior Staff to implement ongoing HIV/AIDS education and
                prevention programs and to develop nondiscriminatory
                workplace policies for employees with HIV/AIDS.
        These designees, with the Office of the National AIDS Policy
                Coordinator (ONAPC), shall form a working group to implement
                this directive.
        The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) shall review its
                current HIV/AIDS workplace guidelines and assist in the
                development of workplace policies in the departments and
                agencies, as directed by ONAPC. OPM should pay particular
                attention to ensuring that the administrative burden on the
                departments and agencies is minimized.
        The National AIDS Policy Coordinator shall report to me
                quarterly on the progress of each department and agency,
                beginning January 1, 1994.
        The White House Staff and the Staff of the Executive Office
                of the President (EOP) will participate in HIV/AIDS
                education and prevention training prior to World AIDS Day,
                December 1, 1993.
        HIV/AIDS is the health crisis of this century; it cannot be allowed
    to extend into the next. Only through education and prevention can we
    stop its spread. Only through aggressive and coordinated efforts at
    medical research can we find a cure. Join me on World AIDS Day, 1993, to
    remember the hundreds of thousands of American dead and the millions of
    Americans infected or suffering because of this disease; help me to
    vividly demonstrate this Administration's commitment to end the HIV/AIDS
    epidemic.

                                                          William J. Clinton