[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 133, 116th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
Proclamation 9970 of November 27, 2019

World AIDS Day, 2019

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Our Nation unites on World AIDS Day to show support for people living
with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency
syndrome (AIDS). We also pause to solemnly remember those worldwide who
have lost their lives to HIV and AIDS-related illnesses. As we mourn
this tragic loss of life, we acknowledge the remarkable advancements in
medical care, treatment, acceptance, and understanding surrounding the
virus. While admirable progress has been made, it is not enough, and we
must continue to work toward a vaccine and a cure. Today, we reaffirm
our commitment to control this disease as a public health threat and end
its devastating impact on families and communities worldwide.
Approximately 1.1 million people in the United States and 38 million
around the world are living with HIV. While we have made tremendous
strides through American ingenuity and innovation in combatting HIV/AIDS
over more than three decades, infections unfortunately persist.
Thankfully, due to the availability of antiretroviral therapy, HIV is
now considered a manageable chronic condition rather than a fatal
diagnosis. New laboratory and epidemiological techniques allow us to
identify where HIV infections are spreading most rapidly so health
officials can respond with resources to stop the further spread of new
infections. Proven interventions, including pre-exposure prophylaxis
(PrEP) and syringe services programs, are assisting in preventing new
HIV transmissions. Still, a combination of prevention and treatment
approaches is needed to integrate and implement our most effective
biomedical and socio-behavioral tools. In addition, increased efforts
are necessary to reach those populations disproportionately affected by
HIV.
To strengthen our response to the HIV/AIDS crisis, my Administration
launched an unprecedented initiative, Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan
for America, to eliminate at least 90 percent of new HIV infections in
the United States within 10 years by focusing on diagnosis, treatment,
prevention, and response. Through this initiative, we will continue to
lead the charge in applying the latest science to better diagnose,
treat, care for, and save the lives of individuals living with HIV by
focusing on the cities and States most impacted by the disease. The
Department of Health and Human Services is coordinating this cross-

[[Page 3526]]

agency initiative to include efforts from the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, the Health
Resources and Services Administration, and the Indian Health Service to
bring us closer than ever to ending the HIV epidemic.
American leadership in the global response to HIV/AIDS is clear and as
strong as ever through the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief
(PEPFAR). The United States has invested more than $85 billion in the
global HIV/AIDS response--the largest commitment made by any nation to
address a single disease. Overseen by the Department of State, PEPFAR's
life-saving work in more than 50 countries is made possible through our
country's unwavering commitment to the program and the American people's
compassion and generosity. These efforts have saved more than 18 million
lives, prevented millions of new HIV infections, and moved the HIV/AIDS
pandemic from crisis toward control--community by community. Several
PEPFAR-supported countries have either approached or exceeded targets
for HIV/AIDS epidemic control, putting them on pace to reach this
critical milestone by 2020. For millions of men, women, and children
around the world, PEPFAR has replaced death and despair with vibrant
life and hope.
On World AIDS Day, we are reminded that no challenge can defeat the
unyielding American spirit. As a Nation, we must come together to remove
the stigma surrounding HIV and to address disparities facing people
living with this disease. Our success is contingent upon collaboration
across all levels of government here in the United States and around the
world, community interaction and outreach to people with HIV and at-risk
populations, and a citizenry motivated by compassion for the suffering
of humankind and hope for the future. Together, we will continue to make
progress in our efforts to find a cure for HIV/AIDS and to ensure that
all Americans live healthier and happier lives.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim December 1, 2019, as
World AIDS Day. I urge the Governors of the States and the Commonwealth
of Puerto Rico, officials of the other territories subject to the
jurisdiction of the United States, and all Americans to join me in
appropriate activities to remember those who have lost their lives to
AIDS and to provide support and compassion to those living with HIV.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-seventh day
of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand nineteen, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-
fourth.
DONALD J. TRUMP