[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 122, 110th Congress, 2nd Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
[NOTE: Oct. 2, 2008 -  [H.Con.Res.426]   MINORITY AIDS INITIATIVE--10TH
ANNIVERSARY

Whereas the Minority AIDS Initiative was established on October 28,
1998, under the leadership of the Congressional Black Caucus, to
target funds for the awareness, prevention, testing, and treatment
of HIV/AIDS toward racial and ethnic minority communities and toward
community-based organizations and health care providers serving
these communities;

Whereas HIV/AIDS is a devastating epidemic that continues to spread in
communities throughout the United States;

Whereas there are more than 1,000,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in the
United States today;

Whereas there are more than 14,000 AIDS-related deaths every year in the
United States;

Whereas approximately 1 in 4 of the people living with HIV/AIDS in the
United States do not know they are infected;

Whereas racial and ethnic minorities are disproportionately impacted by
HIV/AIDS;

Whereas African-Americans account for about half of new AIDS cases,
although approximately 13 percent of the population as a whole is
Black, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
estimates that African-Americans accounted for 45 percent of new HIV
infections in 2006;

Whereas Hispanic-Americans account for 19 percent of new AIDS cases,
although only 15 percent of the population as a whole

[[Page 5208]]
122 STAT. 5208

is Hispanic, and the CDC estimates that Hispanic-Americans accounted
for 17 percent of new HIV infections in 2006;

Whereas Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders account for 1 percent of
new AIDS cases, and Native Americans and Alaskan Natives account for
up to 1 percent of new AIDS cases;

Whereas approximately 70 percent of new AIDS cases are racial and ethnic
minorities;

Whereas the CDC recently released new estimates of HIV infection, which
indicate that approximately 56,300 new HIV infections occurred in
the United States in 2006;

Whereas these new estimates are approximately 40 percent higher than the
CDC's previous estimates of 40,000 new infections per year;

Whereas the CDC's data confirms that the most severe impact continues to
be among gay and bisexual men of all races, and Black men and women;

Whereas the purpose of the Minority AIDS Initiative is to enable
community based organizations and health care providers in minority
communities to improve their capacity to deliver culturally and
linguistically appropriate HIV/AIDS care and services;

Whereas concerned Members of Congress, including members of the
Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, and the Congressional
Hispanic Conference, continue to support the Minority AIDS
Initiative;

Whereas the Minority AIDS Initiative continues to provide funding to
community-based organizations, research institutions, minority-
serving colleges and universities, health care organizations, State
and local health departments, correctional institutions, and other
providers of health information and services to help such entities
address the HIV/AIDS epidemic within the minority populations they
serve;

Whereas Congress codified the Minority AIDS Initiative within the most
recent reauthorization of the Ryan White CARE Act;

Whereas the Minority AIDS Initiative fills gaps in HIV/AIDS outreach,
awareness, prevention, treatment, surveillance, and infrastructure
across communities of color; and

Whereas, October 28, 2008, is the 10th anniversary of the establishment
of the Minority AIDS Initiative: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That the Congress--
(1) recognizes and commemorates the 10th anniversary of the
establishment of the Minority AIDS Initiative;
(2) commends the efforts of community-based organizations
and health care providers in minority communities to deliver
culturally and linguistically appropriate HIV/AIDS care and
services within the minority populations they serve;
(3) encourages racial and ethnic minorities and all
Americans to educate themselves about the prevention and
treatment of HIV/AIDS and reduce HIV related stigma;
(4) encourages the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention to appropriately address populations significantly
impacted

[[Page 5209]]
122 STAT. 5209

by HIV/AIDS not only through the Minority AIDS Initiative, but
through all available programs; and
(5) supports the continuing efforts of the Minority AIDS
Initiative to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS and urges effective,
compassionate treatment and care to individuals affected by HIV/
AIDS.

Agreed to October 2, 2008.