[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000-2001, Book III)]
[October 20, 2000]
[Pages 2236-2237]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]
[[Page 2236]]
Statement on Signing the Ryan White CARE Act Amendments of 2000
October 20, 2000
Ten years ago, shortly after Ryan White's death, the Congress chose
to build a legacy in his memory. As a young man, Ryan White changed the
world, and so has the program that bears his name. Today I am pleased to
sign into law S. 2311, the ``Ryan White CARE Act Amendments of 2000,''
which reauthorizes and expands health care and essential support
services to hundreds of thousands of Americans living with HIV and AIDS.
The reauthorization of the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources
Emergency (CARE) Act is the cornerstone of my Administration's domestic
HIV and AIDS care and treatment effort, and one of its top legislative
priorities. The broad-based bipartisan support in the Congress for the
reauthorization of this vital program sends a clear and strong message
that together we can bring care and compassion to our fellow citizens
living with HIV and AIDS. I am pleased that during my Administration,
funding for the CARE Act program has increased over 300 percent. For
fiscal year 2001, this landmark program will receive more than $1.7
billion.
Today, the CARE Act has become a model for health care delivery not
only in the United States, but around the world. It is a shining example
of the good that can come from collaboration, coordination, and
concerted action. The CARE Act has brought together Republicans and
Democrats, cities and States, hospitals and community-based
organizations, providers, and people living with AIDS--and the results
are a tribute to the power of public-private partnerships. It has
created a continuum of care that is both compassionate and cost-
effective--one that saves both lives and money.
When the CARE Act was originally created, we were sadly unable to do
much for those who were sick, and many of the services provided were
designed to help people die with dignity. Thankfully, much has changed.
The CARE Act is now solidly about living with HIV and AIDS. Since its
last reauthorization, biomedical research has brought hope and renewed
optimism with the discovery of protease inhibitors and combination
therapies. The CARE Act has made the promise of biomedical research a
reality in the lives of people living with HIV and AIDS in every corner
of this country.
Last year alone, approximately one hundred thousand people living
with HIV and AIDS received access to drug therapy because of the CARE
Act. This is particularly important given that half of the people served
by the CARE Act have family incomes of less than $10,000 a year--and the
new drug ``cocktails'' cost more than $12,000 annually. We know all too
well that the drugs are not enough. Primary care and support services
are vital to ensuring both access and adherence to these complex drug
regimens. It is this comprehensive package of essential services that
the CARE Act provides--and with impressive results.
The CARE Act has helped to reduce both the frequency and length of
expensive in- patient hospitalizations, lowered AIDS mortality, reduced
mother-to-child transmission, and enhanced both the length and quality
of life for people living with AIDS. The Act has also provided a
mainstay of essential health and related support services to individuals
living with HIV disease and their families--crucial services in our
progress against this relentless disease.
The CARE Act also serves those most in need. Nearly six out of every
10 people served by the CARE Act are poor. They are also 5 times more
likely to be uninsured than those receiving care elsewhere; nearly 3
times more likely to be African Americans; and 50 percent more likely to
be women. Clearly the CARE Act has followed the path paved by this
epidemic--but challenges remain as HIV and AIDS move deeper into
underserved communities already plagued by poverty, homelessness, and
substance abuse, and as treatment demands and costs continue to rise. It
is these challenges that the reauthorization of the CARE Act is designed
to address.
S. 2311 will continue the tradition of locally defined care and
treatment that are the mainstay of the original CARE Act. It will also
improve the programs of the CARE Act in several ways my Administration
recommended, including: (1) expanding access to essential care for
historically underserved individuals, including racial and
[[Page 2237]]
ethnic minorities, women, and youth; (2) establishing a stronger link
between HIV prevention, diagnosis, and treatment efforts to make sure
people get the care they need once they learn they are HIV positive; (3)
improving the quality of care to make sure all people with HIV get
state-of-the-art treatment; and (4) reducing existing barriers within
the AIDS Drug Assistance Program to ensure that more people living with
HIV disease have access to lifesaving therapeutics.
I want to thank some individuals in my Administration, the Congress,
and perhaps most importantly, the AIDS community for their tireless
efforts and determination in guiding this bill to enactment. We all owe
thanks to Secretary of Health and Human Services, Donna
Shalala; the Surgeon General, Dr. David
Satcher; Drs. Earl Fox and Joseph O'Neill of the
Health Resources and Services Administration; and Sandy
Thurman, Director of our White House AIDS
Office. In addition, this bill clearly would not have become law without
the dedication of Senators Kennedy,
Jeffords, and Frist
and Representatives Waxman and
Coburn. Finally, I am particularly grateful
for the assistance of the many and varied organizations who came
together to extend this legacy of care and compassion for individuals
and families living with HIV disease.
HIV and AIDS have touched communities in each and every State across
this country. In big cities and rural towns, the disease continues to
devastate individuals, families, and communities, leaving them
impoverished, suffering, and in dire need of medical care and support.
We hope that in the not-so-distant future we will have even better
therapies and someday an effective vaccine. But in the meantime, we are
grateful for the CARE Act, which, through its essential services, has
allowed individuals to live longer and healthier lives. The programs
contained in this bill are literally a lifeline for individuals with HIV
disease. For this reason, I am extremely pleased to sign S. 2311.
William J. Clinton
The White House,
October 20, 2000.
Note: S. 2311, approved October 20, was assigned Public Law No. 106-345.