[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 43 (Monday, October 30, 2000)]
[Pages 2531-2532]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Signing the Ryan White CARE Act Amendments of 2000

October 20, 2000

    Today I am very 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 for hundreds of thousands of 
Americans living with HIV and AIDS.
    The broad bipartisan support in the Congress for this bill sends a 
clear message that together we can continue to reach out to individuals 
and families living with HIV and AIDS. Since its creation, the Ryan 
White program has provided thousands of people with HIV care and support 
services in their communities and access to cutting-edge therapies that 
would have remained beyond their reach. It has helped them stay out of 
the hospital and live healthier and better lives.
    During my administration, funding for the Ryan White CARE Act has 
increased by more than 300 percent, and funding for basic AIDS research 
and HIV prevention has increased by over 80 percent. Our strong 
commitment to addressing the HIV epidemic has begun to pay dividends. 
The latest data show that the number of Americans diagnosed with AIDS 
has declined for the first time in the history of the AIDS epidemic, 
deaths from the disease have declined by over 40

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percent, and there has been a sharp decline in new AIDS cases in infants 
and children.
    However, we know that our battle against AIDS is far from over. As 
we continue to search for a cure and a vaccine to protect every 
American, our support for programs like the CARE Act is essential. We 
owe a special thanks to Senators Kennedy, Jeffords, and Frist and 
Representatives Waxman and Coburn, and to the many AIDS advocates and 
organizations, for their tireless efforts in guiding this bill to 
enactment.

Note: S. 2311, approved October 20, was assigned Public Law No. 106-345. 
This item was not received in time for publication in the appropriate 
issue.